diff --git a/init/first_stage_console.cpp b/init/first_stage_console.cpp
index e2ea0ab40..67cac1914 100644
--- a/init/first_stage_console.cpp
+++ b/init/first_stage_console.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,10 @@ namespace init {
 
 void StartConsole(const std::string& cmdline) {
     bool console = KernelConsolePresent(cmdline);
+    // Use a simple sigchld handler -- first_stage_console doesn't need to track or log zombies
+    const struct sigaction chld_act { .sa_handler = SIG_DFL, .sa_flags = SA_NOCLDWAIT };
 
+    sigaction(SIGCHLD, &chld_act, nullptr);
     pid_t pid = fork();
     if (pid != 0) {
         int status;