diff --git a/runtime/utils.cc b/runtime/utils.cc
index 48dce63..68db7e3 100644
--- a/runtime/utils.cc
+++ b/runtime/utils.cc
@@ -1434,7 +1434,8 @@
     execv(program, &args[0]);
 
     PLOG(ERROR) << "Failed to execv(" << command_line << ")";
-    exit(1);
+    // _exit to avoid atexit handlers in child.
+    _exit(1);
   } else {
     if (pid == -1) {
       *error_msg = StringPrintf("Failed to execv(%s) because fork failed: %s",