diff --git a/src/xopen/__init__.py b/src/xopen/__init__.py
index 756d10c..2e26d8b 100644
--- a/src/xopen/__init__.py
+++ b/src/xopen/__init__.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 import bz2
 import lzma
 import signal
-import pathlib
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
 import threading
@@ -71,19 +70,12 @@
     from backports import zstd
 
 try:
-    import fcntl
-except ImportError:
-    fcntl = None  # type: ignore
-
-_MAX_PIPE_SIZE_PATH = pathlib.Path("/proc/sys/fs/pipe-max-size")
-try:
-    _MAX_PIPE_SIZE = int(
-        _MAX_PIPE_SIZE_PATH.read_text(encoding="ascii")
-    )  # type: Optional[int]
-except (
-    OSError
-):  # Catches file not found and permission errors. Possible other errors too.
-    _MAX_PIPE_SIZE = None
+    with open("/proc/sys/fs/pipe-max-size", "rt", encoding="ascii") as f:
+        _MAX_PIPE_SIZE = int(f.read())
+except OSError:
+    # Catches file not found and permission errors. Possible other errors too.
+    # -1 is the default for the Popen pipesize parameter.
+    _MAX_PIPE_SIZE = -1
 
 
 FilePath = Union[str, bytes, os.PathLike]
@@ -142,19 +134,6 @@ def _available_cpu_count() -> int:
     return 1 if count is None else count
 
 
-def _set_pipe_size_to_max(fd: int) -> None:
-    """
-    Set pipe size to maximum on platforms that support it.
-    :param fd: The file descriptor to increase the pipe size for.
-    """
-    if not hasattr(fcntl, "F_SETPIPE_SZ") or not _MAX_PIPE_SIZE:
-        return
-    try:
-        fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_SETPIPE_SZ, _MAX_PIPE_SIZE)  # type: ignore
-    except OSError:
-        pass
-
-
 class _PipedCompressionProgram(io.IOBase):
     """
     Read and write compressed files by running an external process and piping into it.
@@ -242,6 +221,7 @@ def _open_process(self):
                 stdout=stdout,
                 stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
                 close_fds=close_fds,
+                pipesize=_MAX_PIPE_SIZE,
             )  # type: ignore
         except OSError:
             if self.closefd:
@@ -268,8 +248,6 @@ def _open_process(self):
         else:
             self._file = self.process.stdin  # type: ignore
 
-        _set_pipe_size_to_max(self._file.fileno())
-
     def __repr__(self):
         return (
             f"{self.__class__.__name__}"
diff --git a/tests/test_piped.py b/tests/test_piped.py
index 9f8afbe..3b32677 100644
--- a/tests/test_piped.py
+++ b/tests/test_piped.py
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ def test_readers_read(reader):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(
-    not hasattr(fcntl, "F_GETPIPE_SZ") or _MAX_PIPE_SIZE is None,
+    not hasattr(fcntl, "F_GETPIPE_SZ") or _MAX_PIPE_SIZE == -1,
     reason="Pipe size modifications not available on this platform.",
 )
 def test_pipesize_changed(tmp_path):