diff --git a/sys-utils/setsid.1 b/sys-utils/setsid.1
index eff794858..da8d648e7 100644
--- a/sys-utils/setsid.1
+++ b/sys-utils/setsid.1
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ runs a program in a new session.
 .TP
 \fB\-c\fP, \fB\-\-ctty\fP
 Set the controlling terminal to the current one.
+.TP
+\fB\-w\fP, \fB\-\-wait\fP
+Wait the execution of the program to end, and return the exit value of
+the child as return value of the
+.BR setsid .
 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 .BR setsid (2)
 .SH AUTHOR
diff --git a/sys-utils/setsid.c b/sys-utils/setsid.c
index 756a520d8..782de82b5 100644
--- a/sys-utils/setsid.c
+++ b/sys-utils/setsid.c
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
  * 2001-01-18 John Fremlin <vii@penguinpowered.com>
  * - fork in case we are process group leader
  *
+ * 2008-08-20 Daniel Kahn Gillmor <dkg@fifthhorseman.net>
+ * - if forked, wait on child process and emit its return code.
  */
 
 #include <getopt.h>
@@ -16,6 +18,8 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
 
 #include "c.h"
 #include "nls.h"
@@ -29,8 +33,8 @@ static void __attribute__ ((__noreturn__)) usage(FILE * out)
 		program_invocation_short_name);
 
 	fputs(USAGE_OPTIONS, out);
-	fputs(_(" -c, --ctty     set the controlling terminal to the current one\n"),
-		out);
+	fputs(_(" -c, --ctty     set the controlling terminal to the current one\n"), out);
+	fputs(_(" -w, --wait     wait program to exit, and use the same return\n"), out);
 
 	fputs(USAGE_HELP, out);
 	fputs(USAGE_VERSION, out);
@@ -43,9 +47,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int ch;
 	int ctty = 0;
+	pid_t pid;
+	int status = 0;
 
 	static const struct option longopts[] = {
 		{"ctty", no_argument, NULL, 'c'},
+		{"wait", no_argument, NULL, 'w'},
 		{"version", no_argument, NULL, 'V'},
 		{"help", no_argument, NULL, 'h'},
 		{NULL, 0, NULL, 0}
@@ -56,7 +63,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
 	atexit(close_stdout);
 
-	while ((ch = getopt_long(argc, argv, "+Vhc", longopts, NULL)) != -1)
+	while ((ch = getopt_long(argc, argv, "+Vhcw", longopts, NULL)) != -1)
 		switch (ch) {
 		case 'V':
 			printf(UTIL_LINUX_VERSION);
@@ -64,6 +71,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 'c':
 			ctty=1;
 			break;
+		case 'w':
+			status = 1;
+			break;
 		case 'h':
 			usage(stdout);
 		default:
@@ -74,7 +84,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		usage(stderr);
 
 	if (getpgrp() == getpid()) {
-		switch (fork()) {
+		pid = fork();
+		switch (pid) {
 		case -1:
 			err(EXIT_FAILURE, _("fork"));
 		case 0:
@@ -82,7 +93,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			break;
 		default:
 			/* parent */
-			return 0;
+			if (!status)
+				return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+			if (wait(&status) != pid)
+				err(EXIT_FAILURE, "wait");
+			if (WIFEXITED(status))
+				return WEXITSTATUS(status);
+			err(status, _("child %d did not exit normally"), pid);
 		}
 	}
 	if (setsid() < 0)