diff --git a/extra/io/unix/launcher/launcher.factor b/extra/io/unix/launcher/launcher.factor
index ef0107beb1..2736764665 100755
--- a/extra/io/unix/launcher/launcher.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/launcher/launcher.factor
@@ -66,18 +66,18 @@ USE: unix
         ?closed write-flags 2 redirect
     ] if ;
 
-: spawn-process ( process -- * )
-    [
-        setup-priority
-        setup-redirection
-        current-directory get (normalize-path) cd
-        dup pass-environment? [
-            dup get-environment set-os-envs
-        ] when
+: setup-environment ( process -- process )
+    dup pass-environment? [
+        dup get-environment set-os-envs
+    ] when ;
 
-        get-arguments exec-args-with-path
-        (io-error)
-    ] [ 255 exit ] recover ;
+: spawn-process ( process -- * )
+    [ setup-priority ] [ 250 _exit ] recover
+    [ setup-redirection ] [ 251 _exit ] recover
+    [ current-directory get (normalize-path) cd ] [ 252 _exit ] recover
+    [ setup-environment ] [ 253 _exit ] recover
+    [ get-arguments exec-args-with-path ] [ 254 _exit ] recover
+    255 _exit ;
 
 M: unix current-process-handle ( -- handle ) getpid ;
 
diff --git a/extra/unix/unix.factor b/extra/unix/unix.factor
index e911a5c039..9005cd2b2a 100755
--- a/extra/unix/unix.factor
+++ b/extra/unix/unix.factor
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ FUNCTION: int dup2 ( int oldd, int newd ) ;
 FUNCTION: int execv ( char* path, char** argv ) ;
 FUNCTION: int execvp ( char* path, char** argv ) ;
 FUNCTION: int execve ( char* path, char** argv, char** envp ) ;
+: _exit ( status -- * )
+    #! We throw to give this a terminating stack effect.
+    "int" f "_exit" { "int" } alien-invoke "Exit failed" throw ;
 FUNCTION: int fchdir ( int fd ) ;
 FUNCTION: int fchown ( int fd, uid_t owner, gid_t group ) ;
 FUNCTION: int fcntl ( int fd, int cmd, int arg ) ;