diff --git a/cmds/dumpstate/utils.c b/cmds/dumpstate/utils.c
index fd390f563..d081590df 100644
--- a/cmds/dumpstate/utils.c
+++ b/cmds/dumpstate/utils.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <sys/klog.h>
 #include <time.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/prctl.h>
 
 #include <cutils/debugger.h>
 #include <cutils/properties.h>
@@ -264,6 +265,9 @@ int run_command(const char *title, int timeout_seconds, const char *command, ...
         const char *args[1024] = {command};
         size_t arg;
 
+        /* make sure the child dies when dumpstate dies */
+        prctl(PR_SET_PDEATHSIG, SIGKILL);
+
         va_list ap;
         va_start(ap, command);
         if (title) printf("------ %s (%s", title, command);