diff --git a/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c b/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
--- a/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
@@ -572,7 +572,6 @@
 {
 	struct timespec ts = { }, *tsp = &ts;
 	struct sigaction act = { };
-	sigset_t sigset = { };
 	struct kevent ev;
 	struct socklist *sl;
 	pid_t ppid = -1, spid;
@@ -813,6 +812,12 @@
 			exit(1);
 		}
 	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Note: When SIGCHLD is ignored, zombie processes
+	 * are not created.
+	 */
+	act.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < nitems(sigcatch); ++i) {
 		EV_SET(&ev, sigcatch[i], EVFILT_SIGNAL, EV_ADD, 0, 0, NULL);
 		if (kevent(kq, &ev, 1, NULL, 0, NULL) == -1) {
@@ -820,23 +825,14 @@
 			pidfile_remove(pfh);
 			exit(1);
 		}
-		(void)sigaddset(&sigset, sigcatch[i]);
-	}
-	if (sigprocmask(SIG_BLOCK, &sigset, NULL) != 0) {
-		warn("failed to apply signal mask");
-		pidfile_remove(pfh);
-		exit(1);
+		if (sigaction(sigcatch[i], &act, NULL) == -1) {
+			warn("failed to apply signal handler");
+			pidfile_remove(pfh);
+			exit(1);
+		}
 	}
 	(void)alarm(TIMERINTVL);
 
-	/* Do not create zombie processes. */
-	act.sa_flags = SA_NOCLDWAIT;
-	if (sigaction(SIGCHLD, &act, NULL) == -1) {
-		warn("failed to apply signal handler");
-		pidfile_remove(pfh);
-		exit(1);
-	}
-
 	/* tuck my process id away */
 	pidfile_write(pfh);