diff --git a/src/compositor.c b/src/compositor.c
index 693df2c83..447a1c562 100644
--- a/src/compositor.c
+++ b/src/compositor.c
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ weston_client_launch(struct weston_compositor *compositor,
 
 	if (pid == 0) {
 		child_client_exec(sv[1], path);
-		exit(-1);
+		_exit(-1);
 	}
 
 	close(sv[1]);