diff --git a/Source/GSFileHandle.m b/Source/GSFileHandle.m
index dc4980265..c8cc9651c 100644
--- a/Source/GSFileHandle.m
+++ b/Source/GSFileHandle.m
@@ -351,19 +351,19 @@ static GSTcpTune        *tune = nil;
 {
   if (self == fh_stdin)
     {
-      RETAIN(self);
+      fh_stdin = nil;
       [NSException raise: NSGenericException
                   format: @"Attempt to deallocate standard input handle"];
     }
   if (self == fh_stdout)
     {
-      RETAIN(self);
+      fh_stdout = nil;
       [NSException raise: NSGenericException
                   format: @"Attempt to deallocate standard output handle"];
     }
   if (self == fh_stderr)
     {
-      RETAIN(self);
+      fh_stderr = nil;
       [NSException raise: NSGenericException
                   format: @"Attempt to deallocate standard error handle"];
     }
diff --git a/Tests/base/NSFileHandle/singleton.m b/Tests/base/NSFileHandle/singleton.m
index 792632e69..ade40c848 100644
--- a/Tests/base/NSFileHandle/singleton.m
+++ b/Tests/base/NSFileHandle/singleton.m
@@ -15,15 +15,9 @@ int main(void)
   b = [NSFileHandle fileHandleWithStandardOutput];
   c = [NSFileHandle fileHandleWithStandardError];
   END_SET("handle creation")
-  PASS([a retainCount]> 0, "stdin persists");
-  PASS([b retainCount]> 0, "stdout persists");
-  PASS([c retainCount]> 0, "strerr persists");
   PASS_EXCEPTION([a release], NSGenericException, "Cannot dealloc stdin");
   PASS_EXCEPTION([b release], NSGenericException, "Cannot dealloc stdout");
   PASS_EXCEPTION([c release], NSGenericException, "Cannot dealloc stderr");
-  PASS([a retainCount]> 0, "stdin persists");
-  PASS([b retainCount]> 0, "stdout persists");
-  PASS([c retainCount]> 0, "strerr persists");
 
   [p drain];
   return 0;