diff --git a/pdns/channel.cc b/pdns/channel.cc
index 5892f9e0f881..d6a30399f2d6 100644
--- a/pdns/channel.cc
+++ b/pdns/channel.cc
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@
 namespace pdns::channel
 {
 
-Notifier::Notifier(FDWrapper&& fd) :
-  d_fd(std::move(fd))
+Notifier::Notifier(FDWrapper&& descriptor) :
+  d_fd(std::move(descriptor))
 {
 }
 
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ bool Notifier::notify() const
   }
 }
 
-Waiter::Waiter(FDWrapper&& fd, bool throwOnEOF) :
-  d_fd(std::move(fd)), d_throwOnEOF(throwOnEOF)
+Waiter::Waiter(FDWrapper&& descriptor, bool throwOnEOF) :
+  d_fd(std::move(descriptor)), d_throwOnEOF(throwOnEOF)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/pdns/channel.hh b/pdns/channel.hh
index 119c1a24fbfb..e06d2583dc0e 100644
--- a/pdns/channel.hh
+++ b/pdns/channel.hh
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ namespace channel
     Sender()
     {
     }
-    Sender(FDWrapper&& fd) :
-      d_fd(std::move(fd))
+    Sender(FDWrapper&& descriptor) :
+      d_fd(std::move(descriptor))
     {
     }
     Sender(const Sender&) = delete;
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ namespace channel
     Receiver()
     {
     }
-    Receiver(FDWrapper&& fd, bool throwOnEOF = true) :
-      d_fd(std::move(fd)), d_throwOnEOF(throwOnEOF)
+    Receiver(FDWrapper&& descriptor, bool throwOnEOF = true) :
+      d_fd(std::move(descriptor)), d_throwOnEOF(throwOnEOF)
     {
     }
     Receiver(const Receiver&) = delete;