diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/subprocess.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/subprocess.go
index 4643c617d..2cafc36d6 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/subprocess.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/subprocess.go
@@ -228,6 +228,20 @@ func (s *subprocess) handlePtraceSyscallRequest(req any) {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("error waiting for new clone: expected SIGSTOP, got %v", sig))
 		}
 
+		t.initRegs = ptraceThread.initRegs
+		// Set the parent death signal to SIGKILL.
+		_, err = t.syscallIgnoreInterrupt(&t.initRegs, unix.SYS_PRCTL,
+			arch.SyscallArgument{Value: linux.PR_SET_PDEATHSIG},
+			arch.SyscallArgument{Value: uintptr(unix.SIGKILL)},
+			arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
+			arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
+			arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
+			arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
+		)
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("prctl: %v", err))
+		}
+
 		id, ok := s.sysmsgStackPool.Get()
 		if !ok {
 			panic("unable to allocate a sysmsg stub thread")
@@ -240,7 +254,6 @@ func (s *subprocess) handlePtraceSyscallRequest(req any) {
 
 		// Detach the thread.
 		t.detach()
-		t.initRegs = ptraceThread.initRegs
 
 		// Return the thread.
 		r.thread <- t
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/sysmsg_thread_unsafe.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/sysmsg_thread_unsafe.go
index ec71034a8..59d553222 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/sysmsg_thread_unsafe.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/systrap/sysmsg_thread_unsafe.go
@@ -39,20 +39,6 @@ func (p *sysmsgThread) setMsg(addr uintptr) {
 
 func (p *sysmsgThread) init(sentryAddr, guestAddr uintptr) {
 	t := p.thread
-
-	// Set the parent death signal to SIGKILL.
-	_, err := t.syscallIgnoreInterrupt(&t.initRegs, unix.SYS_PRCTL,
-		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: linux.PR_SET_PDEATHSIG},
-		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: uintptr(unix.SIGKILL)},
-		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
-		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
-		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
-		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("prctl: %v", err))
-	}
-
 	// Set the sysmsg signal stack.
 	//
 	// sentryAddr is from the stub mapping which is mapped once and never
@@ -61,7 +47,7 @@ func (p *sysmsgThread) init(sentryAddr, guestAddr uintptr) {
 	*alt = linux.SignalStack{}
 	alt.Addr = uint64(guestAddr)
 	alt.Size = uint64(sysmsg.MsgOffsetFromSharedStack)
-	_, err = t.syscallIgnoreInterrupt(&t.initRegs, unix.SYS_SIGALTSTACK,
+	_, err := t.syscallIgnoreInterrupt(&t.initRegs, unix.SYS_SIGALTSTACK,
 		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: guestAddr},
 		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},
 		arch.SyscallArgument{Value: 0},