diff --git a/build.js b/build.js
index 43d290f1553c9..885891b68b906 100755
--- a/build.js
+++ b/build.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 // BUILD.JS: This file is responsible for building static HTML pages
 
 const fs = require('fs')
+const gracefulFs = require('graceful-fs')
 const path = require('path')
 const Metalsmith = require('metalsmith')
 const collections = require('metalsmith-collections')
@@ -32,6 +33,10 @@ const anchorMarkdownHeadings = require('./scripts/plugins/anchor-markdown-headin
 const loadVersions = require('./scripts/load-versions')
 const latestVersion = require('./scripts/helpers/latestversion')
 
+// This is needed at least on Windows to prevent the `EMFILE: too many open files` error
+// https://github.com/isaacs/node-graceful-fs#global-patching
+gracefulFs.gracefulify(fs)
+
 // Set the default language, also functions as a fallback for properties which
 // are not defined in the given language.
 const DEFAULT_LANG = 'en'
@@ -214,7 +219,7 @@ function buildCSS () {
     outputStyle: process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'development' ? 'compressed' : 'expanded'
   }
 
-  fs.mkdir(path.join(__dirname, 'build/static/css'), { recursive: true }, (err) => {
+  gracefulFs.mkdir(path.join(__dirname, 'build/static/css'), { recursive: true }, (err) => {
     if (err) {
       throw err
     }
@@ -229,7 +234,7 @@ function buildCSS () {
           console.warn(warn.toString())
         })
 
-        fs.writeFile(dest, res.css, (err) => {
+        gracefulFs.writeFile(dest, res.css, (err) => {
           if (err) {
             throw err
           }
@@ -247,7 +252,7 @@ function copyStatic () {
   console.log('[ncp] build/static started')
   const labelForBuild = '[ncp] build/static finished'
   console.time(labelForBuild)
-  fs.mkdir(path.join(__dirname, 'build/static'), { recursive: true }, (err) => {
+  gracefulFs.mkdir(path.join(__dirname, 'build/static'), { recursive: true }, (err) => {
     if (err) {
       throw err
     }
@@ -300,7 +305,7 @@ function fullBuild (opts) {
     if (err) { throw err }
 
     // Executes the build cycle for every locale.
-    fs.readdir(path.join(__dirname, 'locale'), (e, locales) => {
+    gracefulFs.readdir(path.join(__dirname, 'locale'), (e, locales) => {
       if (e) {
         throw e
       }
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index ebfea105a6110..5d60060daf82e 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -3073,9 +3073,9 @@
       }
     },
     "graceful-fs": {
-      "version": "4.2.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/graceful-fs/-/graceful-fs-4.2.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-WjKPNJF79dtJAVniUlGGWHYGz2jWxT6VhN/4m1NdkbZ2nOsEF+cI1Edgql5zCRhs/VsQYRvrXctxktVXZUkixw=="
+      "version": "4.2.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/graceful-fs/-/graceful-fs-4.2.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-nTnJ528pbqxYanhpDYsi4Rd8MAeaBA67+RZ10CM1m3bTAVFEDcd5AuA4a6W5YkGZ1iNXHzZz8T6TBKLeBuNriQ=="
     },
     "gray-matter": {
       "version": "2.1.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index eae0767a6dd7a..b67f0e3e5a9f4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
     "autoprefixer": "^10.2.5",
     "cheerio": "^0.22.0",
     "fibers": "^5.0.0",
+    "graceful-fs": "^4.2.6",
     "handlebars": "^4.7.7",
     "jstransformer-handlebars": "^1.1.0",
     "junk": "^3.1.0",