diff --git a/src/cmd/rc/exec.c b/src/cmd/rc/exec.c
index dfd4e37..fc7b630 100644
--- a/src/cmd/rc/exec.c
+++ b/src/cmd/rc/exec.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 	p->eof=0;
 	p->iflag=0;
 	p->lineno=1;
+	p->pid=-1;
 	p->ret=runq;
 	runq=p;
 }