diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index 67b9b5b9f5f..2e67ebce1c1 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -628,6 +628,8 @@ function ChildProcess() {
   this.killed = false;
 
   this._handle = new Process();
+  this._handle.owner = this;
+
   this._handle.onexit = function(exitCode, signalCode) {
     //
     // follow 0.4.x behaviour: