diff --git a/lisp/eshell/esh-proc.el b/lisp/eshell/esh-proc.el
index 86ae69978f..b833657c46 100644
--- a/lisp/eshell/esh-proc.el
+++ b/lisp/eshell/esh-proc.el
@@ -389,7 +389,12 @@ eshell-insertion-filter
                 (unwind-protect
                     (condition-case nil
                         (eshell-output-object data nil (cadr entry))
-                      (eshell-pipe-broken (signal-process proc 'SIGPIPE)))
+                      (eshell-pipe-broken
+                       ;; Note: this will trigger a broken pipe error
+                       ;; for the process the *next* time it tries to
+                       ;; write.  We could also opportunistically send
+                       ;; SIGPIPE here to notify the process sooner.
+                       (process-break-pipe proc)))
                   (setcar (nthcdr 4 entry) nil))))))))))
 
 (defun eshell-sentinel (proc string)
diff --git a/src/process.c b/src/process.c
index 94cc880097..12cd395cf3 100644
--- a/src/process.c
+++ b/src/process.c
@@ -2297,6 +2297,16 @@ create_pty (Lisp_Object process)
   p->pid = -2;
 }
 
+DEFUN ("process-break-pipe", Fprocess_break_up, Sprocess_break_pipe,
+       1, 1, 0,
+       doc: /* Close the read end of the process's output pipe. */)
+  (register Lisp_Object process)
+{
+  CHECK_PROCESS (process);
+  close_process_fd (&XPROCESS (process)->open_fd[READ_FROM_SUBPROCESS]);
+  return Qnil;
+}
+
 DEFUN ("make-pipe-process", Fmake_pipe_process, Smake_pipe_process,
        0, MANY, 0,
        doc: /* Create and return a bidirectional pipe process.
@@ -8615,6 +8625,7 @@ syms_of_process (void)
   defsubr (&Sset_process_buffer);
   defsubr (&Sprocess_buffer);
   defsubr (&Sprocess_mark);
+  defsubr (&Sprocess_break_pipe);
   defsubr (&Sset_process_filter);
   defsubr (&Sprocess_filter);
   defsubr (&Sset_process_sentinel);