diff --git a/c_src/alcove.c b/c_src/alcove.c
index ebcd796..91e0b7b 100644
--- a/c_src/alcove.c
+++ b/c_src/alcove.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ enum {
     ALCOVE_MSG_PROXY,
     ALCOVE_MSG_CALL,
     ALCOVE_MSG_EVENT,
+    ALCOVE_MSG_CTL,
 };
 
 #define ALCOVE_CHILD_EXEC -2
@@ -645,7 +646,7 @@ exited_pid(alcove_state_t *ap, alcove_child_t *c, void *arg1, void *arg2)
 
     if ( (c->fdin >= 0) && (ap->opt & alcove_opt_stdin_closed)) {
         index = alcove_mk_atom(t, sizeof(t), "stdin_closed");
-        if (alcove_call_fake_reply(c->pid, ALCOVE_MSG_EVENT, t, index) < 0)
+        if (alcove_call_fake_reply(c->pid, ALCOVE_MSG_CTL, t, index) < 0)
             return -1;
     }
 
@@ -756,7 +757,7 @@ read_from_pid(alcove_state_t *ap, alcove_child_t *c, void *arg1, void *arg2)
             c->fdctl = ALCOVE_CHILD_EXEC;
             len = alcove_mk_atom(t, sizeof(t), "fdctl_closed");
 
-            if (alcove_call_fake_reply(c->pid, ALCOVE_MSG_EVENT, t, len) < 0)
+            if (alcove_call_fake_reply(c->pid, ALCOVE_MSG_CTL, t, len) < 0)
                 return -1;
         }
     }
@@ -768,7 +769,7 @@ read_from_pid(alcove_state_t *ap, alcove_child_t *c, void *arg1, void *arg2)
             case 0:
                 if (ap->opt & alcove_opt_stdout_closed) {
                     len = alcove_mk_atom(t, sizeof(t), "stdout_closed");
-                    if (alcove_call_fake_reply(c->pid, ALCOVE_MSG_EVENT,
+                    if (alcove_call_fake_reply(c->pid, ALCOVE_MSG_CTL,
                                 t, len) < 0)
                         return -1;
                 }
@@ -789,7 +790,7 @@ read_from_pid(alcove_state_t *ap, alcove_child_t *c, void *arg1, void *arg2)
             case 0:
                 if (ap->opt & alcove_opt_stderr_closed) {
                     len = alcove_mk_atom(t, sizeof(t), "stderr_closed");
-                    if (alcove_call_fake_reply(c->pid, ALCOVE_MSG_EVENT,
+                    if (alcove_call_fake_reply(c->pid, ALCOVE_MSG_CTL,
                                 t, len) < 0)
                         return -1;
                 }
diff --git a/include/alcove.hrl b/include/alcove.hrl
index f2164c1..f64a6c0 100644
--- a/include/alcove.hrl
+++ b/include/alcove.hrl
@@ -36,3 +36,4 @@
 -define(ALCOVE_MSG_PROXY, 3).
 -define(ALCOVE_MSG_CALL, 4).
 -define(ALCOVE_MSG_EVENT, 5).
+-define(ALCOVE_MSG_CTL, 6).
diff --git a/src/alcove_codec.erl b/src/alcove_codec.erl
index 6f4f5cc..72369fa 100644
--- a/src/alcove_codec.erl
+++ b/src/alcove_codec.erl
@@ -80,4 +80,7 @@ decode(<<?UINT16(Len), ?UINT16(?ALCOVE_MSG_CALL), Data/binary>>, Pids) when Len
     {alcove_call, lists:reverse(Pids), binary_to_term(Data)};
 
 decode(<<?UINT16(Len), ?UINT16(?ALCOVE_MSG_EVENT), Data/binary>>, Pids) when Len =:= 2 + byte_size(Data) ->
-    {alcove_event, lists:reverse(Pids), binary_to_term(Data)}.
+    {alcove_event, lists:reverse(Pids), binary_to_term(Data)};
+
+decode(<<?UINT16(Len), ?UINT16(?ALCOVE_MSG_CTL), Data/binary>>, Pids) when Len =:= 2 + byte_size(Data) ->
+    {alcove_ctl, lists:reverse(Pids), binary_to_term(Data)}.
diff --git a/src/alcove_drv.erl b/src/alcove_drv.erl
index c01b306..ae25d55 100644
--- a/src/alcove_drv.erl
+++ b/src/alcove_drv.erl
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ handle_info(Info, State) ->
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 call_reply(Drv, Pids, false, Timeout) ->
     receive
-        {alcove_event, Drv, Pids, fdctl_closed} ->
+        {alcove_ctl, Drv, Pids, fdctl_closed} ->
             ok;
         {alcove_call, Drv, _Pids, badpid} ->
             exit(badpid);
@@ -202,15 +202,12 @@ call_reply(Drv, Pids, false, Timeout) ->
     end;
 call_reply(Drv, Pids, true, Timeout) ->
     receive
-        {alcove_event, Drv, Pids, {termsig,_} = Signal} ->
-            exit(Signal);
-        {alcove_event, Drv, Pids, fdctl_closed} ->
-            receive
-                {alcove_event, Drv, Pids, {termsig,_} = Signal} ->
-                    exit(Signal);
-                {alcove_event, Drv, Pids, {exit_status,_} = Status} ->
-                    exit(Status)
-            end;
+        {alcove_ctl, Drv, Pids, fdctl_closed} ->
+            call_reply(Drv, Pids, true, Timeout);
+        {alcove_event, Drv, Pids, {termsig,_} = Event} ->
+            exit(Event);
+        {alcove_event, Drv, Pids, {exit_status,_} = Event} ->
+            exit(Event);
         {alcove_call, Drv, _Pids, badpid} ->
             exit(badpid);
         {alcove_call, Drv, Pids, Event} ->