diff --git a/libxcm/active_fd.c b/libxcm/active_fd.c
index 3b5d30eb8..2ea514c61 100644
--- a/libxcm/active_fd.c
+++ b/libxcm/active_fd.c
@@ -5,48 +5,102 @@
 
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <sys/eventfd.h>
+#include <sys/queue.h>
+
+/*
+ * The Linux kernel limits the number of epoll instances fds the
+ * always-active fd can be registered in. See source/fs/eventpoll.c in
+ * for details. Thus, to support a large number of connections, many
+ * always-active fds must be allowed.
+ */
+
+#define MAX_USERS_PER_FD (100)
+
+struct active_fd
+{
+    int fd;
+    int cnt;
+    LIST_ENTRY(active_fd) elem;
+};
+
+LIST_HEAD(active_fd_list, active_fd);
 
-/* socket id, unique on a per-process basis */
 static pthread_mutex_t active_fd_lock = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
-static int active_fd = -1;
-static int active_fd_ref_cnt = 0;
+static struct active_fd_list active_fds = LIST_HEAD_INITIALIZER(&active_fds);
+
+static struct active_fd *fd_retrieve(void)
+{
+    struct active_fd *active_fd;
+    LIST_FOREACH(active_fd, &active_fds, elem)
+	if (active_fd->cnt < MAX_USERS_PER_FD) {
+	    active_fd->cnt++;
+	    return active_fd;
+	}
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
+static struct active_fd *fd_create(void)
+{
+    int fd = eventfd(1, EFD_NONBLOCK);
+    if (fd < 0) {
+	LOG_ACTIVE_FD_FAILED(errno);
+	return NULL;
+    }
+
+    struct active_fd *active_fd = ut_malloc(sizeof(struct active_fd));
+
+    *active_fd = (struct active_fd) {
+	.fd = fd,
+	.cnt = 1
+    };
+
+    LIST_INSERT_HEAD(&active_fds, active_fd, elem);
+
+    LOG_ACTIVE_FD_CREATED(active_fd->fd);
+
+    return active_fd;
+}
 
 int active_fd_get(void)
 {
     ut_mutex_lock(&active_fd_lock);
 
-    ut_assert(active_fd_ref_cnt >= 0);
+    struct active_fd *active_fd = fd_retrieve();
 
-    if (active_fd_ref_cnt == 0) {
-	active_fd = eventfd(1, EFD_NONBLOCK);
-	if (active_fd < 0) {
-	    LOG_ACTIVE_FD_FAILED(errno);
-	    goto out;
-	}
-	LOG_ACTIVE_FD_CREATED(active_fd);
-    }
+    if (active_fd != NULL)
+	goto out;
 
-    active_fd_ref_cnt++;
+    active_fd = fd_create();
 
 out:
     ut_mutex_unlock(&active_fd_lock);
 
-    return active_fd;
+    return active_fd != NULL ? active_fd->fd : -1;
 }
 
-void active_fd_put(void)
+void active_fd_put(int fd)
 {
     ut_mutex_lock(&active_fd_lock);
 
-    ut_assert(active_fd_ref_cnt >= 0);
+    struct active_fd *active_fd;
+    LIST_FOREACH(active_fd, &active_fds, elem)
+	if (active_fd->fd == fd) {
+	    active_fd->cnt--;
 
-    active_fd_ref_cnt--;
+	    if (active_fd->cnt == 0) {
+		LIST_REMOVE(active_fd, elem);
+		UT_PROTECT_ERRNO(close(active_fd->fd));
+		LOG_ACTIVE_FD_CLOSED(active_fd->fd);
+		ut_free(active_fd);
+	    }
 
-    if (active_fd_ref_cnt == 0) {
-	UT_PROTECT_ERRNO(close(active_fd));
-	LOG_ACTIVE_FD_CLOSED(active_fd);
-    }
+	    goto out;
+	}
+
+    ut_assert(0);
 
+out:
     ut_mutex_unlock(&active_fd_lock);
 }
 
diff --git a/libxcm/active_fd.h b/libxcm/active_fd.h
index 7c7f9b620..ec6db2937 100644
--- a/libxcm/active_fd.h
+++ b/libxcm/active_fd.h
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 #define ACTIVE_FD
 
 int active_fd_get(void);
-void active_fd_put(void);
+void active_fd_put(int fd);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libxcm/xcm_tp_sctp.c b/libxcm/xcm_tp_sctp.c
index a95c88c9b..50d04589a 100644
--- a/libxcm/xcm_tp_sctp.c
+++ b/libxcm/xcm_tp_sctp.c
@@ -198,8 +198,9 @@ static void deinit(struct xcm_socket *s)
 {
     if (s->type == xcm_socket_type_conn) {
 	struct sctp_socket *ss = TOSCTP(s);
+	int active_fd = ss->conn.active_fd_reg.fd;
 	epoll_reg_reset(&ss->conn.active_fd_reg);
-	active_fd_put();
+	active_fd_put(active_fd);
 	xcm_dns_query_free(TOSCTP(s)->conn.query);
     }
 }
diff --git a/libxcm/xcm_tp_tcp.c b/libxcm/xcm_tp_tcp.c
index 7bb931afb..c291630e8 100644
--- a/libxcm/xcm_tp_tcp.c
+++ b/libxcm/xcm_tp_tcp.c
@@ -218,8 +218,9 @@ static void deinit(struct xcm_socket *s)
 {
     if (s->type == xcm_socket_type_conn) {
 	struct tcp_socket *ts = TOTCP(s);
+	int active_fd = ts->conn.active_fd_reg.fd;
 	epoll_reg_reset(&ts->conn.active_fd_reg);
-	active_fd_put();
+	active_fd_put(active_fd);
 	xcm_dns_query_free(ts->conn.query);
 	mbuf_deinit(&ts->conn.send_mbuf);
 	mbuf_deinit(&ts->conn.receive_mbuf);
diff --git a/libxcm/xcm_tp_tls.c b/libxcm/xcm_tp_tls.c
index 6b30ebd2b..f93c1a5fc 100644
--- a/libxcm/xcm_tp_tls.c
+++ b/libxcm/xcm_tp_tls.c
@@ -309,8 +309,9 @@ static int conn_deinit(struct xcm_socket *s, bool owner)
 	ts->conn.ssl = NULL;
     }
 
+    int active_fd = ts->conn.active_fd_reg.fd;
     epoll_reg_reset(&ts->conn.active_fd_reg);
-    active_fd_put();
+    active_fd_put(active_fd);
     xcm_dns_query_free(ts->conn.query);
     mbuf_deinit(&ts->conn.send_mbuf);
     mbuf_deinit(&ts->conn.receive_mbuf);