2 files changed, 7 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/src/lib/process/daemon.c b/src/lib/process/daemon.c
index 4836b3951c..3fc2241045 100644
--- a/src/lib/process/daemon.c
+++ b/src/lib/process/daemon.c
@@ -41,15 +41,16 @@ static int daemon_filedes[2];
 /** Start putting the process into daemon mode: fork and drop all resources
  * except standard fds.  The parent process never returns, but stays around
  * until finish_daemon is called.  (Note: it's safe to call this more
- * than once: calls after the first are ignored.)
+ * than once: calls after the first are ignored.)  Return true if we actually
+ * forked and this is the child; false otherwise.
  */
-void
+int
 start_daemon(void)
 {
   pid_t pid;
 
   if (start_daemon_called)
-    return;
+    return 0;
   start_daemon_called = 1;
 
   if (pipe(daemon_filedes)) {
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ start_daemon(void)
       exit(0); // exit ok: during daemonize, daemonizing.
     else
       exit(1); /* child reported error. exit ok: daemonize failed. */
+    return 0; // LCOV_EXCL_LINE unreachable
   } else { /* Child */
     close(daemon_filedes[0]); /* we only write */
 
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ start_daemon(void)
     }
     set_main_thread(); /* We are now the main thread. */
 
-    return;
+    return 1;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/process/daemon.h b/src/lib/process/daemon.h
index 08cab17e12..c3b78029af 100644
--- a/src/lib/process/daemon.h
+++ b/src/lib/process/daemon.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #ifndef TOR_DAEMON_H
 #define TOR_DAEMON_H
 
-void start_daemon(void);
+int start_daemon(void);
 int finish_daemon(const char *desired_cwd);
 
 #endif