diff --git a/include/sway/server.h b/include/sway/server.h
index 95c9c45b..feb516c5 100644
--- a/include/sway/server.h
+++ b/include/sway/server.h
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ bool server_start(struct sway_server *server);
 void server_run(struct sway_server *server);
 
 void restore_nofile_limit(void);
+void restore_signals(void);
 
 void handle_new_output(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/exec_always.c b/sway/commands/exec_always.c
index 14566fc4..8f02bbdc 100644
--- a/sway/commands/exec_always.c
+++ b/sway/commands/exec_always.c
@@ -52,11 +52,8 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_exec_process(int argc, char **argv) {
 	pid_t child = fork();
 	if (child == 0) {
 		restore_nofile_limit();
+		restore_signals();
 		setsid();
-		sigset_t set;
-		sigemptyset(&set);
-		sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &set, NULL);
-		signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_DFL);
 
 		if (ctx) {
 			const char *token = launcher_ctx_get_token_name(ctx);
diff --git a/sway/config/bar.c b/sway/config/bar.c
index f7eddfbb..6cace0da 100644
--- a/sway/config/bar.c
+++ b/sway/config/bar.c
@@ -213,13 +213,8 @@ static void invoke_swaybar(struct bar_config *bar) {
 		sway_log(SWAY_ERROR, "Failed to create fork for swaybar");
 		return;
 	} else if (pid == 0) {
-		// Remove the SIGUSR1 handler that wlroots adds for xwayland
-		sigset_t set;
-		sigemptyset(&set);
-		sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &set, NULL);
-		signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_DFL);
-
 		restore_nofile_limit();
+		restore_signals();
 		if (!sway_set_cloexec(sockets[1], false)) {
 			_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 		}
diff --git a/sway/main.c b/sway/main.c
index 0cc7623d..cabdd3aa 100644
--- a/sway/main.c
+++ b/sway/main.c
@@ -48,13 +48,6 @@ void sig_handler(int signal) {
 	sway_terminate(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
 
-void sigchld_handler(int signal) {
-	pid_t pid;
-	do {
-		pid = waitpid(-1, NULL, WNOHANG);
-	} while (pid > 0);
-}
-
 void run_as_ipc_client(char *command, char *socket_path) {
 	int socketfd = ipc_open_socket(socket_path);
 	uint32_t len = strlen(command);
@@ -159,6 +152,14 @@ void restore_nofile_limit(void) {
 	}
 }
 
+void restore_signals(void) {
+	sigset_t set;
+	sigemptyset(&set);
+	sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &set, NULL);
+	signal(SIGCHLD, SIG_DFL);
+	signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_DFL);
+}
+
 void enable_debug_flag(const char *flag) {
 	if (strcmp(flag, "noatomic") == 0) {
 		debug.noatomic = true;
@@ -332,7 +333,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	// handle SIGTERM signals
 	signal(SIGTERM, sig_handler);
 	signal(SIGINT, sig_handler);
-	signal(SIGCHLD, sigchld_handler);
+
+	// avoid need to reap children
+	signal(SIGCHLD, SIG_IGN);
 
 	// prevent ipc from crashing sway
 	signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);