diff --git a/archival/cpio.c b/archival/cpio.c
index 41aeef171..f139f3130 100644
--- a/archival/cpio.c
+++ b/archival/cpio.c
@@ -354,10 +354,7 @@ int cpio_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 		if (*cpio_fmt != 'n') /* we _require_ "-H newc" */
 			bb_show_usage();
 		if (opt & CPIO_OPT_FILE) {
-			fclose(stdout);
-			stdout = fopen_for_write(cpio_filename);
-			/* Paranoia: I don't trust libc that much */
-			xdup2(fileno(stdout), STDOUT_FILENO);
+			xmove_fd(xopen3(cpio_filename, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC, 0666), STDOUT_FILENO);
 		}
  dump:
 		return cpio_o();
diff --git a/libbb/xfuncs_printf.c b/libbb/xfuncs_printf.c
index d36284131..7207ec58a 100644
--- a/libbb/xfuncs_printf.c
+++ b/libbb/xfuncs_printf.c
@@ -263,10 +263,7 @@ int FAST_FUNC fflush_all(void)
 
 int FAST_FUNC bb_putchar(int ch)
 {
-	/* time.c needs putc(ch, stdout), not putchar(ch).
-	 * it does "stdout = stderr;", but then glibc's putchar()
-	 * doesn't work as expected. bad glibc, bad */
-	return putc(ch, stdout);
+	return putchar(ch);
 }
 
 /* Die with an error message if we can't copy an entire FILE* to stdout,
diff --git a/miscutils/time.c b/miscutils/time.c
index 42c812a42..342173609 100644
--- a/miscutils/time.c
+++ b/miscutils/time.c
@@ -414,9 +414,7 @@ int time_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 	run_command(argv, &res);
 
 	/* Cheat. printf's are shorter :) */
-	/* (but see bb_putchar() body for additional wrinkle!) */
-	xdup2(2, 1); /* just in case libc does something silly :( */
-	stdout = stderr;
+	xdup2(STDERR_FILENO, STDOUT_FILENO);
 	summarize(output_format, argv, &res);
 
 	if (WIFSTOPPED(res.waitstatus))