diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.c b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.c
index 37543edc0b..d7a6e32fb3 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.c
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhclient.c
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ dhclient_start (NMDHCPClient *client,
 {
 	NMDHCPDhclientPrivate *priv = NM_DHCP_DHCLIENT_GET_PRIVATE (client);
 	GPtrArray *argv = NULL;
-	GPid pid = 0;
+	GPid pid = -1;
 	GError *error = NULL;
 	const char *iface, *uuid;
 	char *binary_name, *cmd_str;
diff --git a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
index 716949324c..403431fcb4 100644
--- a/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
+++ b/src/dhcp-manager/nm-dhcp-dhcpcd.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ real_ip4_start (NMDHCPClient *client,
 {
 	NMDHCPDhcpcdPrivate *priv = NM_DHCP_DHCPCD_GET_PRIVATE (client);
 	GPtrArray *argv = NULL;
-	GPid pid = 0;
+	GPid pid = -1;
 	GError *error = NULL;
 	char *pid_contents = NULL, *binary_name, *cmd_str;
 	const char *iface, *uuid, *hostname;
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ real_ip4_start (NMDHCPClient *client,
 	                    &dhcpcd_child_setup, NULL, &pid, &error)) {
 		nm_log_warn (LOGD_DHCP4, "dhcpcd failed to start.  error: '%s'", error->message);
 		g_error_free (error);
+		pid = -1;
 	} else
 		nm_log_info (LOGD_DHCP4, "dhcpcd started with pid %d", pid);