diff --git a/src/lxc/utils.c b/src/lxc/utils.c
index 98b4655cf..f8d6a3fe1 100644
--- a/src/lxc/utils.c
+++ b/src/lxc/utils.c
@@ -2242,13 +2242,13 @@ int run_command(char *buf, size_t buf_size, int (*child_fn)(void *), void *args)
 
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			SYSERROR("failed to duplicate std{err,out} file descriptor");
-			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+			_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 		}
 
 		/* Does not return. */
 		child_fn(args);
 		ERROR("failed to exec command");
-		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		_exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
 
 	/* close the write-end of the pipe */