diff --git a/tools/power/x86/intel-speed-select/isst-daemon.c b/tools/power/x86/intel-speed-select/isst-daemon.c
index 66df21b2b573..acedb7432849 100644
--- a/tools/power/x86/intel-speed-select/isst-daemon.c
+++ b/tools/power/x86/intel-speed-select/isst-daemon.c
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ static void daemonize(char *rundir, char *pidfile)
 {
 	int pid, sid, i;
 	char str[10];
+	struct stat st;
 	struct sigaction sig_actions;
 	sigset_t sig_set;
 	int ret;
@@ -200,11 +201,17 @@ static void daemonize(char *rundir, char *pidfile)
 	if (ret == -1)
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 
-	pid_file_handle = open(pidfile, O_RDWR | O_CREAT, 0600);
+	pid_file_handle = open(pidfile, O_RDWR | O_CREAT | O_NOFOLLOW, 0600);
 	if (pid_file_handle == -1) {
 		/* Couldn't open lock file */
 		exit(1);
 	}
+
+	if (fstat(pid_file_handle, &st) == -1)
+		exit(1);
+
+	if (!S_ISREG(st.st_mode))
+		exit(1);
 	/* Try to lock file */
 #ifdef LOCKF_SUPPORT
 	if (lockf(pid_file_handle, F_TLOCK, 0) == -1) {