diff --git a/transfer_service/tape_client.py b/transfer_service/tape_client.py
index edce101d7e5a017bff70bc3d77e20b948d617357..9dc57d345c3c2cfc4ce28b3bb9a2fad23e42ea18 100644
--- a/transfer_service/tape_client.py
+++ b/transfer_service/tape_client.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ class TapeClient(object):
         else:
             for f in fileList:
                 fp.write(f"{f}\n")
+            fp.close()
             self.copy(f"./{tmp}", f"/tmp/{tmp}")
             os.remove(f"./{tmp}")
             cmd = f"{self.EEADM} migrate /tmp/{tmp} -p {tapePool}"
@@ -188,6 +189,7 @@ class TapeClient(object):
         else:
             for f in fileList:
                 fp.write(f"{f}\n")
+            fp.close()
             self.copy(f"./{tmp}", f"/tmp/{tmp}")
             os.remove(f"./{tmp}")
             cmd = f"{self.EEADM} recall /tmp/{tmp}"