diff --git a/src/jrd/winnt.cpp b/src/jrd/winnt.cpp
index 2dbcc00ea4..d724cc4271 100644
--- a/src/jrd/winnt.cpp
+++ b/src/jrd/winnt.cpp
@@ -303,47 +303,45 @@ void PIO_force_write(FIL file, USHORT flag)
  *	Set (or clear) force write, if possible, for the database.
  *
  **************************************/
-	HANDLE desc;
 
-	if (flag)
+	const bool bOldForce = (file->fil_flags & FIL_force_write_init) != 0;
+
+	if ((flag && !bOldForce) ||
+		(!flag && bOldForce))
 	{
-		if (!(file->fil_flags & FIL_force_write_init))
+		SLONG& hOld = flag ? file->fil_desc : file->fil_force_write_desc;
+		HANDLE& hNew = reinterpret_cast<HANDLE&>(flag ? file->fil_force_write_desc : file->fil_desc);
+
+		MaybeCloseFile(&hOld);
+		hNew = CreateFile(file->fil_string,
+						  GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
+						  g_dwShareFlags,
+						  NULL,
+						  OPEN_EXISTING,
+						  FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL |
+						  g_dwExtraFlags |
+						  (flag ? FILE_FLAG_WRITE_THROUGH : 0),
+						  0);
+
+		if (hNew == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
 		{
-			/* TMN: Close the existing handle since we're now opening */
-			/* the files for exclusive access */
-			MaybeCloseFile(&file->fil_desc);
-			desc = CreateFile(file->fil_string,
-							  GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
-							  g_dwShareFlags,
-							  NULL,
-							  OPEN_EXISTING,
-							  FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL |
-							  FILE_FLAG_WRITE_THROUGH |
-							  g_dwExtraFlags,
-							  0);
-
-			if (desc == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
-			{
-				ERR_post(isc_io_error,
-						 gds_arg_string,
-						 "CreateFile (force write)",
-						 gds_arg_cstring,
-						 file->fil_length,
-						 ERR_string(file->fil_string, file->fil_length),
-						 isc_arg_gds, isc_io_access_err,
-						 gds_arg_win32,
-						 GetLastError(),
-						 0);
-			}
-
-			/* TMN: Take note! Assumes sizeof(long) == sizeof(void*) ! */
-			file->fil_force_write_desc = reinterpret_cast<SLONG>(desc);
+			ERR_post(isc_io_error,
+					 gds_arg_string,
+					 "CreateFile (force write)",
+					 gds_arg_cstring,
+					 file->fil_length,
+					 ERR_string(file->fil_string, file->fil_length),
+					 isc_arg_gds, isc_io_access_err,
+					 gds_arg_win32,
+					 GetLastError(),
+					 0);
+		}
+		
+		if (flag) {
+			file->fil_flags |= (FIL_force_write | FIL_force_write_init);
+		} else {
+			file->fil_flags &= ~FIL_force_write;
 		}
-		file->fil_flags |= (FIL_force_write | FIL_force_write_init);
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		file->fil_flags &= ~FIL_force_write;
 	}
 }