diff --git a/gnu/services/base.scm b/gnu/services/base.scm
index c43f39fe32..062364bf81 100644
--- a/gnu/services/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/base.scm
@@ -1557,7 +1557,21 @@ the tty to run, among other things."
                                                   (string-append dir "/lib"))
                                                 (list #$@name-services))
                                            ":")))))
-           (stop #~(make-kill-destructor))
+           (stop #~(let ((terminate (make-kill-destructor)))
+                     (lambda (process)
+                       (terminate process)
+
+                       ;; PID 1 might have mapped nscd database files via
+                       ;; '__nscd_get_mapping'.  Call the relevant libc
+                       ;; functions (those with a corresponding GETFD* request
+                       ;; type) to cause PID 1 to notice that those mappings
+                       ;; are stale and to unmap them.  Failure to do so would
+                       ;; prevent the root file system from being remounted
+                       ;; read-only when shutting down.
+                       (false-if-exception (getpw "root"))
+                       (false-if-exception (getgr "root"))
+                       (false-if-exception (getaddrinfo "localhost" "http"))
+                       #f)))
            (modules `((ice-9 popen)               ;for the actions
                       (ice-9 rdelim)
                       (ice-9 match)
diff --git a/gnu/tests/base.scm b/gnu/tests/base.scm
index dc51880d8e..86fa6374ef 100644
--- a/gnu/tests/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/tests/base.scm
@@ -827,6 +827,18 @@ in a loop.  See <http://bugs.gnu.org/26931>.")
                                                      ,witness-size))))))
                                marionette))
 
+            ;; Cause PID 1 to create a mapping to nscd's database files.
+            ;; Those mappings used to prevent 'root-file-system' to remount
+            ;; read-only on shutdown.  See
+            ;; <https://codeberg.org/guix/guix/issues/4269>.
+            (test-equal "open libc NSS database"
+              "root"
+              (marionette-eval '(begin
+                                  (use-modules (gnu services herd))
+                                  (start-service 'nscd) ;wait for nscd
+                                  (eval-there '(passwd:name (getgr "root"))))
+                               marionette))
+
             ;; Halt the system.
             (marionette-eval '(system* "/run/current-system/profile/sbin/halt")
                              marionette)
@@ -891,7 +903,10 @@ in a loop.  See <http://bugs.gnu.org/26931>.")
     "Make sure the root file system is cleanly unmounted when the system is
 halted.")
    (value
-    (let ((os (marionette-operating-system %simple-os)))
+    (let ((os (marionette-operating-system
+               %simple-os
+               #:imported-modules '((gnu services herd)
+                                    (guix combinators)))))
       (run-root-unmount-test os)))))