diff --git a/init/src/service.rs b/init/src/service.rs
index 950e8d7ea4..716711dde2 100644
--- a/init/src/service.rs
+++ b/init/src/service.rs
@@ -38,8 +38,15 @@ pub enum ServiceType {
 
 fn create_pipe() -> io::Result<(File, OwnedFd)> {
     let mut fds = [0i32; 2];
-    let res = unsafe { libc::pipe2(fds.as_mut_ptr(), libc::O_CLOEXEC) };
-    if res != 0 {
+    // Use libc::pipe2() which goes through relibc's FILETABLE-managed path
+    // (FdGuard::open → SYS_OPENAT_INTO), keeping the userspace file table in
+    // sync with the kernel's file table. Using raw syscall::openat()
+    // (SYS_OPENAT) here would bypass the FILETABLE and create phantom fds
+    // that later cause EEXIST collisions when relibc's own pipe2() (called
+    // during Command::spawn fork+exec) tries to insert at a position the
+    // FILETABLE incorrectly thinks is free.
+    let ret = unsafe { libc::pipe2(fds.as_mut_ptr(), libc::O_CLOEXEC) };
+    if ret != 0 {
         return Err(io::Error::last_os_error());
     }
     let rd = unsafe { File::from_raw_fd(fds[0]) };