diff --git a/pigz.c b/pigz.c
index 0e9d635..238783b 100644
--- a/pigz.c
+++ b/pigz.c
@@ -347,6 +347,9 @@
 #define _FILE_OFFSET_BITS 64            // Use large file functions
 #define _LARGE_FILES                    // Same thing for AIX
 #define _XOPEN_SOURCE 700               // For POSIX 2008
+#ifdef __OpenBSD__
+#define _BSD_SOURCE                     // for pledge(2)
+#endif
 
 // Included headers and what is expected from each.
 #include <stdio.h>      // fflush(), fprintf(), fputs(), getchar(), putc(),
@@ -4604,6 +4607,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
     char *opts, *p;                 // environment default options, marker
     ball_t err;                     // error information from throw()
 
+#ifdef __OpenBSD__
+    if (pledge("stdio rpath wpath cpath fattr chown", NULL) == -1) {
+        complain("pledge");
+        exit(1);
+    }
+#endif
+
     g.ret = 0;
     try {
         // initialize globals
@@ -4711,6 +4721,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
                 argv[n] = NULL;         // remove if option
         option(NULL);                   // check for missing parameter
 
+#ifdef __OpenBSD__
+        if (g.pipeout || g.decode == 2 || g.list)
+            if (pledge("stdio rpath", NULL) == -1) {
+                complain("pledge");
+                exit(1);
+            }
+#endif
+
         // process command-line filenames
         done = 0;
         for (n = 1; n < argc; n++)