diff --git a/include/sys/fm/util.h b/include/sys/fm/util.h
index ea8c61a8b9..8fa82b7b6d 100644
--- a/include/sys/fm/util.h
+++ b/include/sys/fm/util.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 #include <sys/nvpair.h>
+#include <sys/zfs_file.h>
 
 /*
  * Shared user/kernel definitions for class length, error channel name,
@@ -96,8 +97,8 @@ extern void fm_nvprint(nvlist_t *);
 extern void zfs_zevent_post_cb(nvlist_t *nvl, nvlist_t *detector);
 extern int zfs_zevent_post(nvlist_t *, nvlist_t *, zevent_cb_t *);
 extern void zfs_zevent_drain_all(int *);
-extern int zfs_zevent_fd_hold(int, minor_t *, zfs_zevent_t **);
-extern void zfs_zevent_fd_rele(int);
+extern zfs_file_t *zfs_zevent_fd_hold(int, minor_t *, zfs_zevent_t **);
+extern void zfs_zevent_fd_rele(zfs_file_t *);
 extern int zfs_zevent_next(zfs_zevent_t *, nvlist_t **, uint64_t *, uint64_t *);
 extern int zfs_zevent_wait(zfs_zevent_t *);
 extern int zfs_zevent_seek(zfs_zevent_t *, uint64_t);
diff --git a/include/sys/zfs_file.h b/include/sys/zfs_file.h
index d117933a6e..02cd1a6f04 100644
--- a/include/sys/zfs_file.h
+++ b/include/sys/zfs_file.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #ifndef	_SYS_ZFS_FILE_H
 #define	_SYS_ZFS_FILE_H
 
+#include <sys/zfs_context.h>
+
 #ifndef _KERNEL
 typedef struct zfs_file {
 	int f_fd;
@@ -55,8 +57,8 @@ int zfs_file_fallocate(zfs_file_t *fp, int mode, loff_t offset, loff_t len);
 loff_t zfs_file_off(zfs_file_t *fp);
 int zfs_file_unlink(const char *);
 
-int zfs_file_get(int fd, zfs_file_t **fp);
-void zfs_file_put(int fd);
+zfs_file_t *zfs_file_get(int fd);
+void zfs_file_put(zfs_file_t *fp);
 void *zfs_file_private(zfs_file_t *fp);
 
 #endif /* _SYS_ZFS_FILE_H */
diff --git a/include/sys/zfs_ioctl.h b/include/sys/zfs_ioctl.h
index 8834c52990..1ca3f211b5 100644
--- a/include/sys/zfs_ioctl.h
+++ b/include/sys/zfs_ioctl.h
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ typedef struct zfsdev_state {
 } zfsdev_state_t;
 
 extern void *zfsdev_get_state(minor_t minor, enum zfsdev_state_type which);
-extern int zfsdev_getminor(int fd, minor_t *minorp);
+extern int zfsdev_getminor(zfs_file_t *fp, minor_t *minorp);
 extern minor_t zfsdev_minor_alloc(void);
 
 extern uint_t zfs_fsyncer_key;
diff --git a/include/sys/zfs_onexit.h b/include/sys/zfs_onexit.h
index 0fab23ff84..fd3030e3ac 100644
--- a/include/sys/zfs_onexit.h
+++ b/include/sys/zfs_onexit.h
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ extern void zfs_onexit_destroy(zfs_onexit_t *zo);
 
 #endif
 
-extern int zfs_onexit_fd_hold(int fd, minor_t *minorp);
-extern void zfs_onexit_fd_rele(int fd);
+extern zfs_file_t *zfs_onexit_fd_hold(int fd, minor_t *minorp);
+extern void zfs_onexit_fd_rele(zfs_file_t *);
 extern int zfs_onexit_add_cb(minor_t minor, void (*func)(void *), void *data,
     uint64_t *action_handle);
 
diff --git a/lib/libzpool/kernel.c b/lib/libzpool/kernel.c
index ca35789936..5abeb67794 100644
--- a/lib/libzpool/kernel.c
+++ b/lib/libzpool/kernel.c
@@ -966,16 +966,16 @@ kmem_asprintf(const char *fmt, ...)
 }
 
 /* ARGSUSED */
-int
+zfs_file_t *
 zfs_onexit_fd_hold(int fd, minor_t *minorp)
 {
 	*minorp = 0;
-	return (0);
+	return (NULL);
 }
 
 /* ARGSUSED */
 void
-zfs_onexit_fd_rele(int fd)
+zfs_onexit_fd_rele(zfs_file_t *fp)
 {
 }
 
@@ -1385,28 +1385,26 @@ zfs_file_unlink(const char *path)
  * Get reference to file pointer
  *
  * fd - input file descriptor
- * fpp - pointer to file pointer
  *
- * Returns 0 on success EBADF on failure.
+ * Returns pointer to file struct or NULL.
  * Unsupported in user space.
  */
-int
-zfs_file_get(int fd, zfs_file_t **fpp)
+zfs_file_t *
+zfs_file_get(int fd)
 {
 	abort();
 
-	return (EOPNOTSUPP);
+	return (NULL);
 }
-
 /*
  * Drop reference to file pointer
  *
- * fd - input file descriptor
+ * fp - pointer to file struct
  *
  * Unsupported in user space.
  */
 void
-zfs_file_put(int fd)
+zfs_file_put(zfs_file_t *fp)
 {
 	abort();
 }
diff --git a/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_file_os.c b/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
index bfdc4159a0..a8c774a4ed 100644
--- a/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
+++ b/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
@@ -241,28 +241,21 @@ zfs_file_fsync(zfs_file_t *fp, int flags)
 	return (zfs_vop_fsync(fp->f_vnode));
 }
 
-int
-zfs_file_get(int fd, zfs_file_t **fpp)
+zfs_file_t *
+zfs_file_get(int fd)
 {
 	struct file *fp;
 
 	if (fget(curthread, fd, &cap_no_rights, &fp))
-		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
+		return (NULL);
 
-	*fpp = fp;
-	return (0);
+	return (fp);
 }
 
 void
-zfs_file_put(int fd)
+zfs_file_put(zfs_file_t *fp)
 {
-	struct file *fp;
-
-	/* No CAP_ rights required, as we're only releasing. */
-	if (fget(curthread, fd, &cap_no_rights, &fp) == 0) {
-		fdrop(fp, curthread);
-		fdrop(fp, curthread);
-	}
+	fdrop(fp, curthread);
 }
 
 loff_t
diff --git a/module/os/linux/zfs/zfs_file_os.c b/module/os/linux/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
index 99c6ffc959..fe522d2573 100644
--- a/module/os/linux/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
+++ b/module/os/linux/zfs/zfs_file_os.c
@@ -405,36 +405,22 @@ zfs_file_unlink(const char *path)
  * Get reference to file pointer
  *
  * fd - input file descriptor
- * fpp - pointer to file pointer
  *
- * Returns 0 on success EBADF on failure.
+ * Returns pointer to file struct or NULL
  */
-int
-zfs_file_get(int fd, zfs_file_t **fpp)
+zfs_file_t *
+zfs_file_get(int fd)
 {
-	zfs_file_t *fp;
-
-	fp = fget(fd);
-	if (fp == NULL)
-		return (EBADF);
-
-	*fpp = fp;
-
-	return (0);
+	return (fget(fd));
 }
 
 /*
  * Drop reference to file pointer
  *
- * fd - input file descriptor
+ * fp - input file struct pointer
  */
 void
-zfs_file_put(int fd)
+zfs_file_put(zfs_file_t *fp)
 {
-	struct file *fp;
-
-	if ((fp = fget(fd)) != NULL) {
-		fput(fp);
-		fput(fp);
-	}
+	fput(fp);
 }
diff --git a/module/zfs/fm.c b/module/zfs/fm.c
index 6ad4f582e5..e868798c87 100644
--- a/module/zfs/fm.c
+++ b/module/zfs/fm.c
@@ -586,25 +586,29 @@ zfs_zevent_minor_to_state(minor_t minor, zfs_zevent_t **ze)
 	return (0);
 }
 
-int
+zfs_file_t *
 zfs_zevent_fd_hold(int fd, minor_t *minorp, zfs_zevent_t **ze)
 {
-	int error;
+	zfs_file_t *fp = zfs_file_get(fd);
+	if (fp == NULL)
+		return (NULL);
 
-	error = zfsdev_getminor(fd, minorp);
+	int error = zfsdev_getminor(fp, minorp);
 	if (error == 0)
 		error = zfs_zevent_minor_to_state(*minorp, ze);
 
-	if (error)
-		zfs_zevent_fd_rele(fd);
+	if (error) {
+		zfs_zevent_fd_rele(fp);
+		fp = NULL;
+	}
 
-	return (error);
+	return (fp);
 }
 
 void
-zfs_zevent_fd_rele(int fd)
+zfs_zevent_fd_rele(zfs_file_t *fp)
 {
-	zfs_file_put(fd);
+	zfs_file_put(fp);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c b/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
index 9f670d50a5..6f629c9845 100644
--- a/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
+++ b/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
@@ -4834,8 +4834,8 @@ zfs_ioc_recv_impl(char *tofs, char *tosnap, char *origin, nvlist_t *recvprops,
 	*errors = fnvlist_alloc();
 	off = 0;
 
-	if ((error = zfs_file_get(input_fd, &input_fp)))
-		return (error);
+	if ((input_fp = zfs_file_get(input_fd)) == NULL)
+		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
 
 	noff = off = zfs_file_off(input_fp);
 	error = dmu_recv_begin(tofs, tosnap, begin_record, force,
@@ -5115,7 +5115,7 @@ zfs_ioc_recv_impl(char *tofs, char *tosnap, char *origin, nvlist_t *recvprops,
 		nvlist_free(inheritprops);
 	}
 out:
-	zfs_file_put(input_fd);
+	zfs_file_put(input_fp);
 	nvlist_free(origrecvd);
 	nvlist_free(origprops);
 
@@ -5445,8 +5445,8 @@ zfs_ioc_send(zfs_cmd_t *zc)
 		zfs_file_t *fp;
 		dmu_send_outparams_t out = {0};
 
-		if ((error = zfs_file_get(zc->zc_cookie, &fp)))
-			return (error);
+		if ((fp = zfs_file_get(zc->zc_cookie)) == NULL)
+			return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
 
 		off = zfs_file_off(fp);
 		out.dso_outfunc = dump_bytes;
@@ -5456,7 +5456,7 @@ zfs_ioc_send(zfs_cmd_t *zc)
 		    zc->zc_fromobj, embedok, large_block_ok, compressok,
 		    rawok, savedok, zc->zc_cookie, &off, &out);
 
-		zfs_file_put(zc->zc_cookie);
+		zfs_file_put(fp);
 	}
 	return (error);
 }
@@ -6020,25 +6020,24 @@ zfs_ioc_tmp_snapshot(zfs_cmd_t *zc)
 {
 	char *snap_name;
 	char *hold_name;
-	int error;
 	minor_t minor;
 
-	error = zfs_onexit_fd_hold(zc->zc_cleanup_fd, &minor);
-	if (error != 0)
-		return (error);
+	zfs_file_t *fp = zfs_onexit_fd_hold(zc->zc_cleanup_fd, &minor);
+	if (fp == NULL)
+		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
 
 	snap_name = kmem_asprintf("%s-%016llx", zc->zc_value,
 	    (u_longlong_t)ddi_get_lbolt64());
 	hold_name = kmem_asprintf("%%%s", zc->zc_value);
 
-	error = dsl_dataset_snapshot_tmp(zc->zc_name, snap_name, minor,
+	int error = dsl_dataset_snapshot_tmp(zc->zc_name, snap_name, minor,
 	    hold_name);
 	if (error == 0)
 		(void) strlcpy(zc->zc_value, snap_name,
 		    sizeof (zc->zc_value));
 	kmem_strfree(snap_name);
 	kmem_strfree(hold_name);
-	zfs_onexit_fd_rele(zc->zc_cleanup_fd);
+	zfs_onexit_fd_rele(fp);
 	return (error);
 }
 
@@ -6058,13 +6057,13 @@ zfs_ioc_diff(zfs_cmd_t *zc)
 	offset_t off;
 	int error;
 
-	if ((error = zfs_file_get(zc->zc_cookie, &fp)))
-		return (error);
+	if ((fp = zfs_file_get(zc->zc_cookie)) == NULL)
+		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
 
 	off = zfs_file_off(fp);
 	error = dmu_diff(zc->zc_name, zc->zc_value, fp, &off);
 
-	zfs_file_put(zc->zc_cookie);
+	zfs_file_put(fp);
 
 	return (error);
 }
@@ -6100,6 +6099,7 @@ zfs_ioc_hold(const char *pool, nvlist_t *args, nvlist_t *errlist)
 	int cleanup_fd = -1;
 	int error;
 	minor_t minor = 0;
+	zfs_file_t *fp = NULL;
 
 	holds = fnvlist_lookup_nvlist(args, "holds");
 
@@ -6117,14 +6117,16 @@ zfs_ioc_hold(const char *pool, nvlist_t *args, nvlist_t *errlist)
 	}
 
 	if (nvlist_lookup_int32(args, "cleanup_fd", &cleanup_fd) == 0) {
-		error = zfs_onexit_fd_hold(cleanup_fd, &minor);
-		if (error != 0)
-			return (SET_ERROR(error));
+		fp = zfs_onexit_fd_hold(cleanup_fd, &minor);
+		if (fp == NULL)
+			return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
 	}
 
 	error = dsl_dataset_user_hold(holds, minor, errlist);
-	if (minor != 0)
-		zfs_onexit_fd_rele(cleanup_fd);
+	if (fp != NULL) {
+		ASSERT3U(minor, !=, 0);
+		zfs_onexit_fd_rele(fp);
+	}
 	return (SET_ERROR(error));
 }
 
@@ -6187,9 +6189,9 @@ zfs_ioc_events_next(zfs_cmd_t *zc)
 	uint64_t dropped = 0;
 	int error;
 
-	error = zfs_zevent_fd_hold(zc->zc_cleanup_fd, &minor, &ze);
-	if (error != 0)
-		return (error);
+	zfs_file_t *fp = zfs_zevent_fd_hold(zc->zc_cleanup_fd, &minor, &ze);
+	if (fp == NULL)
+		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
 
 	do {
 		error = zfs_zevent_next(ze, &event,
@@ -6211,7 +6213,7 @@ zfs_ioc_events_next(zfs_cmd_t *zc)
 			break;
 	} while (1);
 
-	zfs_zevent_fd_rele(zc->zc_cleanup_fd);
+	zfs_zevent_fd_rele(fp);
 
 	return (error);
 }
@@ -6243,12 +6245,12 @@ zfs_ioc_events_seek(zfs_cmd_t *zc)
 	minor_t minor;
 	int error;
 
-	error = zfs_zevent_fd_hold(zc->zc_cleanup_fd, &minor, &ze);
-	if (error != 0)
-		return (error);
+	zfs_file_t *fp = zfs_zevent_fd_hold(zc->zc_cleanup_fd, &minor, &ze);
+	if (fp == NULL)
+		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
 
 	error = zfs_zevent_seek(ze, zc->zc_guid);
-	zfs_zevent_fd_rele(zc->zc_cleanup_fd);
+	zfs_zevent_fd_rele(fp);
 
 	return (error);
 }
@@ -6432,8 +6434,8 @@ zfs_ioc_send_new(const char *snapname, nvlist_t *innvl, nvlist_t *outnvl)
 
 	(void) nvlist_lookup_string(innvl, "redactbook", &redactbook);
 
-	if ((error = zfs_file_get(fd, &fp)))
-		return (error);
+	if ((fp = zfs_file_get(fd)) == NULL)
+		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
 
 	off = zfs_file_off(fp);
 
@@ -6445,7 +6447,7 @@ zfs_ioc_send_new(const char *snapname, nvlist_t *innvl, nvlist_t *outnvl)
 	    compressok, rawok, savedok, resumeobj, resumeoff,
 	    redactbook, fd, &off, &out);
 
-	zfs_file_put(fd);
+	zfs_file_put(fp);
 	return (error);
 }
 
@@ -7318,17 +7320,12 @@ pool_status_check(const char *name, zfs_ioc_namecheck_t type,
 }
 
 int
-zfsdev_getminor(int fd, minor_t *minorp)
+zfsdev_getminor(zfs_file_t *fp, minor_t *minorp)
 {
 	zfsdev_state_t *zs, *fpd;
-	zfs_file_t *fp;
-	int rc;
 
 	ASSERT(!MUTEX_HELD(&zfsdev_state_lock));
 
-	if ((rc = zfs_file_get(fd, &fp)))
-		return (rc);
-
 	fpd = zfs_file_private(fp);
 	if (fpd == NULL)
 		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
diff --git a/module/zfs/zfs_onexit.c b/module/zfs/zfs_onexit.c
index 2a1332e715..7c56dd9c97 100644
--- a/module/zfs/zfs_onexit.c
+++ b/module/zfs/zfs_onexit.c
@@ -107,30 +107,33 @@ zfs_onexit_destroy(zfs_onexit_t *zo)
  * of this function must call zfs_onexit_fd_rele() when they're finished
  * using the minor number.
  */
-int
+zfs_file_t *
 zfs_onexit_fd_hold(int fd, minor_t *minorp)
 {
 	zfs_onexit_t *zo = NULL;
-	int error;
 
-	error = zfsdev_getminor(fd, minorp);
+	zfs_file_t *fp = zfs_file_get(fd);
+	if (fp == NULL)
+		return (NULL);
+
+	int error = zfsdev_getminor(fp, minorp);
 	if (error) {
-		zfs_onexit_fd_rele(fd);
-		return (error);
+		zfs_onexit_fd_rele(fp);
+		return (NULL);
 	}
 
 	zo = zfsdev_get_state(*minorp, ZST_ONEXIT);
 	if (zo == NULL) {
-		zfs_onexit_fd_rele(fd);
-		return (SET_ERROR(EBADF));
+		zfs_onexit_fd_rele(fp);
+		return (NULL);
 	}
-	return (0);
+	return (fp);
 }
 
 void
-zfs_onexit_fd_rele(int fd)
+zfs_onexit_fd_rele(zfs_file_t *fp)
 {
-	zfs_file_put(fd);
+	zfs_file_put(fp);
 }
 
 static int