diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/file.c b/dlls/ntdll/file.c
index ed354fb9648..a26af9a73aa 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/file.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/file.c
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ NTSTATUS WINAPI NtCreateFile( PHANDLE handle, ACCESS_MASK access, POBJECT_ATTRIB
                               ULONG attributes, ULONG sharing, ULONG disposition,
                               ULONG options, PVOID ea_buffer, ULONG ea_length )
 {
+    static const WCHAR pipeW[] = {'\\','?','?','\\','p','i','p','e','\\'};
     ANSI_STRING unix_name;
     int created = FALSE;
 
@@ -146,6 +147,24 @@ NTSTATUS WINAPI NtCreateFile( PHANDLE handle, ACCESS_MASK access, POBJECT_ATTRIB
     }
     if (alloc_size) FIXME( "alloc_size not supported\n" );
 
+    /* check for named pipe */
+
+    if (attr->ObjectName->Length > sizeof(pipeW) &&
+        !memicmpW( attr->ObjectName->Buffer, pipeW, sizeof(pipeW)/sizeof(WCHAR) ))
+    {
+        SERVER_START_REQ( open_named_pipe )
+        {
+            req->access = access;
+            req->inherit = (attr->Attributes & OBJ_INHERIT) != 0;
+            wine_server_add_data( req, attr->ObjectName->Buffer + sizeof(pipeW)/sizeof(WCHAR),
+                                  attr->ObjectName->Length - sizeof(pipeW) );
+            io->u.Status = wine_server_call( req );
+            *handle = reply->handle;
+        }
+        SERVER_END_REQ;
+        return io->u.Status;
+    }
+
     io->u.Status = wine_nt_to_unix_file_name( attr->ObjectName, &unix_name, disposition,
                                               !(attr->Attributes & OBJ_CASE_INSENSITIVE) );
 
diff --git a/files/file.c b/files/file.c
index 138c503b879..9ec61ae4966 100644
--- a/files/file.c
+++ b/files/file.c
@@ -174,30 +174,6 @@ void FILE_SetDosError(void)
 }
 
 
-static HANDLE FILE_OpenPipe(LPCWSTR name, DWORD access, LPSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES sa )
-{
-    HANDLE ret;
-    DWORD len = 0;
-
-    if (name && (len = strlenW(name)) > MAX_PATH)
-    {
-        SetLastError( ERROR_FILENAME_EXCED_RANGE );
-        return 0;
-    }
-    SERVER_START_REQ( open_named_pipe )
-    {
-        req->access = access;
-        req->inherit = (sa && (sa->nLength>=sizeof(*sa)) && sa->bInheritHandle);
-        SetLastError(0);
-        wine_server_add_data( req, name, len * sizeof(WCHAR) );
-        wine_server_call_err( req );
-        ret = reply->handle;
-    }
-    SERVER_END_REQ;
-    TRACE("Returned %p\n",ret);
-    return ret;
-}
-
 /*************************************************************************
  * CreateFileW [KERNEL32.@]  Creates or opens a file or other object
  *
@@ -288,13 +264,9 @@ HANDLE WINAPI CreateFileW( LPCWSTR filename, DWORD access, DWORD sharing,
     if (!strncmpW(filename, bkslashes_with_dotW, 4))
     {
         static const WCHAR pipeW[] = {'P','I','P','E','\\',0};
-        if(!strncmpiW(filename + 4, pipeW, 5))
-        {
-            TRACE("Opening a pipe: %s\n", debugstr_w(filename));
-            ret = FILE_OpenPipe( filename, access, sa );
-            goto done;
-        }
-        else if (isalphaW(filename[4]) && filename[5] == ':' && filename[6] == '\0')
+
+        if ((isalphaW(filename[4]) && filename[5] == ':' && filename[6] == '\0') ||
+            !strncmpiW( filename + 4, pipeW, 5 ))
         {
             dosdev = 0;
         }