diff --git a/lib/libc/stdlib/system.c b/lib/libc/stdlib/system.c
index b552a63fd904..64a544714564 100644
--- a/lib/libc/stdlib/system.c
+++ b/lib/libc/stdlib/system.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <paths.h>
 #include <errno.h>
@@ -56,37 +57,36 @@ __system(const char *command)
 	if (!command)		/* just checking... */
 		return(1);
 
-	/*
-	 * Ignore SIGINT and SIGQUIT, block SIGCHLD. Remember to save
-	 * existing signal dispositions.
-	 */
-	ign.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
-	(void)sigemptyset(&ign.sa_mask);
-	ign.sa_flags = 0;
-	(void)_sigaction(SIGINT, &ign, &intact);
-	(void)_sigaction(SIGQUIT, &ign, &quitact);
 	(void)sigemptyset(&newsigblock);
 	(void)sigaddset(&newsigblock, SIGCHLD);
 	(void)_sigprocmask(SIG_BLOCK, &newsigblock, &oldsigblock);
-	switch(pid = fork()) {
+	switch(pid = vfork()) {
 	case -1:			/* error */
-		break;
+		(void)_sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &oldsigblock, NULL);
+		return (-1);
 	case 0:				/* child */
 		/*
 		 * Restore original signal dispositions and exec the command.
 		 */
-		(void)_sigaction(SIGINT, &intact, NULL);
-		(void)_sigaction(SIGQUIT,  &quitact, NULL);
 		(void)_sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &oldsigblock, NULL);
 		execl(_PATH_BSHELL, "sh", "-c", command, (char *)NULL);
 		_exit(127);
-	default:			/* parent */
-		savedpid = pid;
-		do {
-			pid = _wait4(savedpid, &pstat, 0, (struct rusage *)0);
-		} while (pid == -1 && errno == EINTR);
-		break;
 	}
+	/* 
+	 * If we are running means that the child has either completed
+	 * its execve, or has failed.
+	 * Block SIGINT/QUIT because sh -c handles it and wait for
+	 * it to clean up.
+	 */
+	memset(&ign, 0, sizeof(ign));
+	ign.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
+	(void)sigemptyset(&ign.sa_mask);
+	(void)_sigaction(SIGINT, &ign, &intact);
+	(void)_sigaction(SIGQUIT, &ign, &quitact);
+	savedpid = pid;
+	do {
+		pid = _wait4(savedpid, &pstat, 0, (struct rusage *)0);
+	} while (pid == -1 && errno == EINTR);
 	(void)_sigaction(SIGINT, &intact, NULL);
 	(void)_sigaction(SIGQUIT,  &quitact, NULL);
 	(void)_sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &oldsigblock, NULL);