diff --git a/job.c b/job.c
index 9703c744..19b28dab 100644
--- a/job.c
+++ b/job.c
@@ -333,12 +333,24 @@ reap_children (block, err)
 	      /* If there are more commands to run, try to start them.  */
 	      if (job_next_command (c))
 		{
-		  /* Check again whether to start remotely.
-		     Whether or not we want to changes over time.
-		     Also, start_remote_job may need state set up
-		     by start_remote_job_p.  */
-		  c->remote = start_remote_job_p ();
-		  start_job_command (c);
+		  if (handling_fatal_signal)
+		    {
+		      /* Never start new commands while we are dying.
+			 Since there are more commands that wanted to be run,
+			 the target was not completely remade.  So we treat
+			 this as if a command had failed.  */
+		      c->file->command_state = cs_finished;
+		      c->file->update_status = 1;
+		    }
+		  else
+		    {
+		      /* Check again whether to start remotely.
+			 Whether or not we want to changes over time.
+			 Also, start_remote_job may need state set up
+			 by start_remote_job_p.  */
+		      c->remote = start_remote_job_p ();
+		      start_job_command (c);
+		    }
 		}
 
 	      switch (c->file->command_state)
@@ -362,8 +374,9 @@ reap_children (block, err)
 		}
 	    }
 
-	  /* Notice if the target of the commands has been changed.  */
-	  notice_finished_file (c->file);
+	  if (! handling_fatal_signal)
+	    /* Notice if the target of the commands has been changed.  */
+	    notice_finished_file (c->file);
 
 	  if (debug_flag)
 	    printf ("Removing child 0x%08lx PID %d%s from chain.\n",
@@ -375,7 +388,8 @@ reap_children (block, err)
 	    children = c->next;
 	  else
 	    lastc->next = c->next;
-	  free_child (c);
+	  if (! handling_fatal_signal) /* Avoid nonreentrancy.  */
+	    free_child (c);
 
 	  /* There is now another slot open.  */
 	  --job_slots_used;