diff --git a/server/signal.c b/server/signal.c
index e12532e..c873344 100644
--- a/server/signal.c
+++ b/server/signal.c
@@ -91,8 +91,6 @@
 static struct handler *handler_sigchld;
 static struct handler *handler_sigio;
 
-static sigset_t blocked_sigset;
-
 static int watchdog;
 
 /* create a signal handler */
@@ -118,6 +116,7 @@
         return NULL;
     }
     set_fd_events( handler->fd, POLLIN );
+    make_object_static( &handler->obj );
     return handler;
 }
 
@@ -265,6 +264,7 @@
 void init_signals(void)
 {
     struct sigaction action;
+    sigset_t blocked_sigset;
 
     if (!(handler_sighup  = create_handler( sighup_callback ))) goto error;
     if (!(handler_sigterm = create_handler( sigterm_callback ))) goto error;
@@ -318,13 +318,3 @@
     fprintf( stderr, "failed to initialize signal handlers\n" );
     exit(1);
 }
-
-void close_signals(void)
-{
-    sigprocmask( SIG_BLOCK, &blocked_sigset, NULL );
-    release_object( handler_sighup );
-    release_object( handler_sigterm );
-    release_object( handler_sigint );
-    release_object( handler_sigchld );
-    release_object( handler_sigio );
-}