diff --git a/modules/generators/mod_cgi.c b/modules/generators/mod_cgi.c
index 66fbe5f401..89d833a8c1 100644
--- a/modules/generators/mod_cgi.c
+++ b/modules/generators/mod_cgi.c
@@ -905,7 +905,10 @@ static int cgi_handler(request_rec *r)
     apr_file_pipe_timeout_set(script_in, 0);
     apr_file_pipe_timeout_set(script_err, 0);
     
-    b = cgi_bucket_create(r, script_in, script_err, c->bucket_alloc);
+    /* if r is a subrequest, ensure that the bucket only references
+     * r->main, since it may last longer than the subreq. */
+    b = cgi_bucket_create(r->main ? r->main : r, script_in, script_err,
+                          c->bucket_alloc);
 #else
     b = apr_bucket_pipe_create(script_in, c->bucket_alloc);
 #endif