diff --git a/src/pkg/exec/exec.go b/src/pkg/exec/exec.go
index ede09091db..958245832d 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exec/exec.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exec/exec.go
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ type Cmd struct {
 	process         *os.Process
 	finished        bool // when Wait was called
 	childFiles      []*os.File
-	closeAfterStart []*os.File
-	closeAfterWait  []*os.File
+	closeAfterStart []io.Closer
+	closeAfterWait  []io.Closer
 	goroutine       []func() os.Error
 	errch           chan os.Error // one send per goroutine
 }
@@ -307,3 +307,60 @@ func (c *Cmd) CombinedOutput() ([]byte, os.Error) {
 	err := c.Run()
 	return b.Bytes(), err
 }
+
+// StdinPipe returns a pipe that will be connected to the command's
+// standard input when the command starts.
+func (c *Cmd) StdinPipe() (io.WriteCloser, os.Error) {
+	if c.Stdin != nil {
+		return nil, os.NewError("exec: Stdin already set")
+	}
+	if c.process != nil {
+		return nil, os.NewError("exec: StdinPipe after process started")
+	}
+	pr, pw, err := os.Pipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	c.Stdin = pr
+	c.closeAfterStart = append(c.closeAfterStart, pr)
+	c.closeAfterWait = append(c.closeAfterStart, pw)
+	return pw, nil
+}
+
+// StdoutPipe returns a pipe that will be connected to the command's
+// standard output when the command starts.
+func (c *Cmd) StdoutPipe() (io.Reader, os.Error) {
+	if c.Stdout != nil {
+		return nil, os.NewError("exec: Stdout already set")
+	}
+	if c.process != nil {
+		return nil, os.NewError("exec: StdoutPipe after process started")
+	}
+	pr, pw, err := os.Pipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	c.Stdout = pw
+	c.closeAfterStart = append(c.closeAfterStart, pw)
+	c.closeAfterWait = append(c.closeAfterStart, pr)
+	return pr, nil
+}
+
+// StderrPipe returns a pipe that will be connected to the command's
+// standard error when the command starts.
+func (c *Cmd) StderrPipe() (io.Reader, os.Error) {
+	if c.Stderr != nil {
+		return nil, os.NewError("exec: Stderr already set")
+	}
+	if c.process != nil {
+		return nil, os.NewError("exec: StderrPipe after process started")
+	}
+	pr, pw, err := os.Pipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	c.Stderr = pw
+	c.closeAfterStart = append(c.closeAfterStart, pw)
+	c.closeAfterWait = append(c.closeAfterStart, pr)
+	return pr, nil
+}
diff --git a/src/pkg/exec/exec_test.go b/src/pkg/exec/exec_test.go
index 041d527e01..c45a7d70a6 100644
--- a/src/pkg/exec/exec_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/exec/exec_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 package exec
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"testing"
@@ -87,6 +89,57 @@ func TestExitStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestPipes(t *testing.T) {
+	check := func(what string, err os.Error) {
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: %v", what, err)
+		}
+	}
+	// Cat, testing stdin and stdout.
+	c := helperCommand("pipetest")
+	stdin, err := c.StdinPipe()
+	check("StdinPipe", err)
+	stdout, err := c.StdoutPipe()
+	check("StdoutPipe", err)
+	stderr, err := c.StderrPipe()
+	check("StderrPipe", err)
+
+	outbr := bufio.NewReader(stdout)
+	errbr := bufio.NewReader(stderr)
+	line := func(what string, br *bufio.Reader) string {
+		line, _, err := br.ReadLine()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: %v", what, err)
+		}
+		return string(line)
+	}
+
+	err = c.Start()
+	check("Start", err)
+
+	_, err = stdin.Write([]byte("O:I am output\n"))
+	check("first stdin Write", err)
+	if g, e := line("first output line", outbr), "O:I am output"; g != e {
+		t.Errorf("got %q, want %q", g, e)
+	}
+
+	_, err = stdin.Write([]byte("E:I am error\n"))
+	check("second stdin Write", err)
+	if g, e := line("first error line", errbr), "E:I am error"; g != e {
+		t.Errorf("got %q, want %q", g, e)
+	}
+
+	_, err = stdin.Write([]byte("O:I am output2\n"))
+	check("third stdin Write 3", err)
+	if g, e := line("second output line", outbr), "O:I am output2"; g != e {
+		t.Errorf("got %q, want %q", g, e)
+	}
+
+	stdin.Close()
+	err = c.Wait()
+	check("Wait", err)
+}
+
 // TestHelperProcess isn't a real test. It's used as a helper process
 // for TestParameterRun.
 func TestHelperProcess(*testing.T) {
@@ -133,6 +186,25 @@ func TestHelperProcess(*testing.T) {
 			}
 		}
 		os.Exit(exit)
+	case "pipetest":
+		bufr := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
+		for {
+			line, _, err := bufr.ReadLine()
+			if err == os.EOF {
+				break
+			} else if err != nil {
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+			if bytes.HasPrefix(line, []byte("O:")) {
+				os.Stdout.Write(line)
+				os.Stdout.Write([]byte{'\n'})
+			} else if bytes.HasPrefix(line, []byte("E:")) {
+				os.Stderr.Write(line)
+				os.Stderr.Write([]byte{'\n'})
+			} else {
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+		}
 	case "exit":
 		n, _ := strconv.Atoi(args[0])
 		os.Exit(n)
diff --git a/src/pkg/http/cgi/host.go b/src/pkg/http/cgi/host.go
index c283191ef2..7ab3f9247a 100644
--- a/src/pkg/http/cgi/host.go
+++ b/src/pkg/http/cgi/host.go
@@ -161,30 +161,27 @@ func (h *Handler) ServeHTTP(rw http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request) {
 		h.printf("CGI error: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	stdoutRead, stdoutWrite, err := os.Pipe()
-	if err != nil {
-		internalError(err)
-		return
-	}
-
 	cmd := &exec.Cmd{
 		Path:   pathBase,
 		Args:   append([]string{h.Path}, h.Args...),
 		Dir:    cwd,
 		Env:    env,
-		Stdout: stdoutWrite,
 		Stderr: os.Stderr, // for now
 	}
 	if req.ContentLength != 0 {
 		cmd.Stdin = req.Body
 	}
+	stdoutRead, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		internalError(err)
+		return
+	}
 
 	err = cmd.Start()
 	if err != nil {
 		internalError(err)
 		return
 	}
-	stdoutWrite.Close()
 	defer cmd.Wait()
 
 	linebody, _ := bufio.NewReaderSize(stdoutRead, 1024)