diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index fb9029cbf1..3805616630 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ static void execv_dashed_external(const char **argv)
 	 * if we fail because the command is not found, it is
 	 * OK to return. Otherwise, we just pass along the status code.
 	 */
-	status = run_command_v_opt(argv, RUN_SILENT_EXEC_FAILURE);
+	status = run_command_v_opt(argv, RUN_SILENT_EXEC_FAILURE | RUN_CLEAN_ON_EXIT);
 	if (status >= 0 || errno != ENOENT)
 		exit(status);
 
diff --git a/run-command.c b/run-command.c
index 1c51043884..1db8abf984 100644
--- a/run-command.c
+++ b/run-command.c
@@ -1,8 +1,66 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "run-command.h"
 #include "exec_cmd.h"
+#include "sigchain.h"
 #include "argv-array.h"
 
+struct child_to_clean {
+	pid_t pid;
+	struct child_to_clean *next;
+};
+static struct child_to_clean *children_to_clean;
+static int installed_child_cleanup_handler;
+
+static void cleanup_children(int sig)
+{
+	while (children_to_clean) {
+		struct child_to_clean *p = children_to_clean;
+		children_to_clean = p->next;
+		kill(p->pid, sig);
+		free(p);
+	}
+}
+
+static void cleanup_children_on_signal(int sig)
+{
+	cleanup_children(sig);
+	sigchain_pop(sig);
+	raise(sig);
+}
+
+static void cleanup_children_on_exit(void)
+{
+	cleanup_children(SIGTERM);
+}
+
+static void mark_child_for_cleanup(pid_t pid)
+{
+	struct child_to_clean *p = xmalloc(sizeof(*p));
+	p->pid = pid;
+	p->next = children_to_clean;
+	children_to_clean = p;
+
+	if (!installed_child_cleanup_handler) {
+		atexit(cleanup_children_on_exit);
+		sigchain_push_common(cleanup_children_on_signal);
+		installed_child_cleanup_handler = 1;
+	}
+}
+
+static void clear_child_for_cleanup(pid_t pid)
+{
+	struct child_to_clean **last, *p;
+
+	last = &children_to_clean;
+	for (p = children_to_clean; p; p = p->next) {
+		if (p->pid == pid) {
+			*last = p->next;
+			free(p);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 static inline void close_pair(int fd[2])
 {
 	close(fd[0]);
@@ -130,6 +188,9 @@ static int wait_or_whine(pid_t pid, const char *argv0, int silent_exec_failure)
 	} else {
 		error("waitpid is confused (%s)", argv0);
 	}
+
+	clear_child_for_cleanup(pid);
+
 	errno = failed_errno;
 	return code;
 }
@@ -292,6 +353,8 @@ fail_pipe:
 	if (cmd->pid < 0)
 		error("cannot fork() for %s: %s", cmd->argv[0],
 			strerror(failed_errno = errno));
+	else if (cmd->clean_on_exit)
+		mark_child_for_cleanup(cmd->pid);
 
 	/*
 	 * Wait for child's execvp. If the execvp succeeds (or if fork()
@@ -312,6 +375,7 @@ fail_pipe:
 		cmd->pid = -1;
 	}
 	close(notify_pipe[0]);
+
 }
 #else
 {
@@ -356,6 +420,8 @@ fail_pipe:
 	failed_errno = errno;
 	if (cmd->pid < 0 && (!cmd->silent_exec_failure || errno != ENOENT))
 		error("cannot spawn %s: %s", cmd->argv[0], strerror(errno));
+	if (cmd->clean_on_exit && cmd->pid >= 0)
+		mark_child_for_cleanup(cmd->pid);
 
 	if (cmd->env)
 		free_environ(env);
@@ -431,6 +497,7 @@ static void prepare_run_command_v_opt(struct child_process *cmd,
 	cmd->stdout_to_stderr = opt & RUN_COMMAND_STDOUT_TO_STDERR ? 1 : 0;
 	cmd->silent_exec_failure = opt & RUN_SILENT_EXEC_FAILURE ? 1 : 0;
 	cmd->use_shell = opt & RUN_USING_SHELL ? 1 : 0;
+	cmd->clean_on_exit = opt & RUN_CLEAN_ON_EXIT ? 1 : 0;
 }
 
 int run_command_v_opt(const char **argv, int opt)
@@ -540,6 +607,8 @@ int start_async(struct async *async)
 		exit(!!async->proc(proc_in, proc_out, async->data));
 	}
 
+	mark_child_for_cleanup(async->pid);
+
 	if (need_in)
 		close(fdin[0]);
 	else if (async->in)
diff --git a/run-command.h b/run-command.h
index 56491b9f23..44f7d2bd42 100644
--- a/run-command.h
+++ b/run-command.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ struct child_process {
 	unsigned silent_exec_failure:1;
 	unsigned stdout_to_stderr:1;
 	unsigned use_shell:1;
+	unsigned clean_on_exit:1;
 	void (*preexec_cb)(void);
 };
 
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ extern int run_hook(const char *index_file, const char *name, ...);
 #define RUN_COMMAND_STDOUT_TO_STDERR 4
 #define RUN_SILENT_EXEC_FAILURE 8
 #define RUN_USING_SHELL 16
+#define RUN_CLEAN_ON_EXIT 32
 int run_command_v_opt(const char **argv, int opt);
 
 /*