diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Output/ConsoleOutput.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Output/ConsoleOutput.php
index 966fca09942a3..484fcbdea24b9 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Output/ConsoleOutput.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Output/ConsoleOutput.php
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ private function openOutputStream()
             return fopen('php://output', 'w');
         }
 
-        return @fopen('php://stdout', 'w') ?: fopen('php://output', 'w');
+        // Use STDOUT when possible to prevent from opening too many file descriptors
+        return \defined('STDOUT') ? \STDOUT : (@fopen('php://stdout', 'w') ?: fopen('php://output', 'w'));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -161,6 +162,11 @@ private function openOutputStream()
      */
     private function openErrorStream()
     {
-        return fopen($this->hasStderrSupport() ? 'php://stderr' : 'php://output', 'w');
+        if (!$this->hasStderrSupport()) {
+            return fopen('php://output', 'w');
+        }
+
+        // Use STDERR when possible to prevent from opening too many file descriptors
+        return \defined('STDERR') ? \STDERR : (@fopen('php://stderr', 'w') ?: fopen('php://output', 'w'));
     }
 }