diff --git a/socket.c b/socket.c
index ba4625d..bc98a4f 100644
--- a/socket.c
+++ b/socket.c
@@ -1336,16 +1336,11 @@ SCK_Initialise(int family)
 void
 SCK_Finalise(void)
 {
-  int fd;
-
   ARR_DestroyInstance(recv_sck_messages);
   ARR_DestroyInstance(recv_headers);
   ARR_DestroyInstance(recv_messages);
 
-  for (fd = first_reusable_fd; fd < first_reusable_fd + reusable_fds; fd++)
-    close(fd);
-  reusable_fds = 0;
-  first_reusable_fd = 0;
+  SCK_CloseReusableSockets();
 
   initialised = 0;
 }
@@ -1495,6 +1490,19 @@ SCK_IsReusable(int fd)
 
 /* ================================================== */
 
+void
+SCK_CloseReusableSockets(void)
+{
+  int fd;
+
+  for (fd = first_reusable_fd; fd < first_reusable_fd + reusable_fds; fd++)
+    close(fd);
+  reusable_fds = 0;
+  first_reusable_fd = 0;
+}
+
+/* ================================================== */
+
 int
 SCK_SetIntOption(int sock_fd, int level, int name, int value)
 {
diff --git a/socket.h b/socket.h
index a2a1fd3..8b178e2 100644
--- a/socket.h
+++ b/socket.h
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ extern int SCK_OpenUnixSocketPair(int flags, int *other_fd);
 /* Check if a file descriptor was passed from the service manager */
 extern int SCK_IsReusable(int sock_fd);
 
+/* Close all reusable sockets before finalisation (e.g. in a helper process) */
+extern void SCK_CloseReusableSockets(void);
+
 /* Set and get a socket option of int size */
 extern int SCK_SetIntOption(int sock_fd, int level, int name, int value);
 extern int SCK_GetIntOption(int sock_fd, int level, int name, int *value);