diff --git a/src/corelib/io/qprocess.cpp b/src/corelib/io/qprocess.cpp
index 8b29a8964f7..e7d671abc84 100644
--- a/src/corelib/io/qprocess.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/io/qprocess.cpp
@@ -1057,15 +1057,14 @@ bool QProcessPrivate::_q_canWrite()
 /*!
     \internal
 */
-bool QProcessPrivate::_q_processDied()
+void QProcessPrivate::_q_processDied()
 {
     Q_Q(QProcess);
 #if defined QPROCESS_DEBUG
     qDebug("QProcessPrivate::_q_processDied()");
 #endif
 #ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
-    if (!waitForDeadChild())
-        return false;
+    waitForDeadChild();
 #endif
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
     if (processFinishedNotifier)
@@ -1078,7 +1077,7 @@ bool QProcessPrivate::_q_processDied()
     // give it a chance to emit started() or errorOccurred(FailedToStart).
     if (processState == QProcess::Starting) {
         if (!_q_startupNotification())
-            return true;
+            return;
     }
 
     if (dying) {
@@ -1086,7 +1085,7 @@ bool QProcessPrivate::_q_processDied()
         // reentering this slot recursively by calling waitForFinished()
         // or opening a dialog inside slots connected to the readyRead
         // signals emitted below.
-        return true;
+        return;
     }
     dying = true;
 
@@ -1119,7 +1118,6 @@ bool QProcessPrivate::_q_processDied()
 #if defined QPROCESS_DEBUG
     qDebug("QProcessPrivate::_q_processDied() process is dead");
 #endif
-    return true;
 }
 
 /*!
diff --git a/src/corelib/io/qprocess.h b/src/corelib/io/qprocess.h
index cfa86c8508b..86c778d5116 100644
--- a/src/corelib/io/qprocess.h
+++ b/src/corelib/io/qprocess.h
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ private:
     Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d_func(), bool _q_canReadStandardError())
     Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d_func(), bool _q_canWrite())
     Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d_func(), bool _q_startupNotification())
-    Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d_func(), bool _q_processDied())
+    Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d_func(), void _q_processDied())
     friend class QProcessManager;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/corelib/io/qprocess_p.h b/src/corelib/io/qprocess_p.h
index 1f449bd4c86..decd6c98f5e 100644
--- a/src/corelib/io/qprocess_p.h
+++ b/src/corelib/io/qprocess_p.h
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ public:
     bool _q_canReadStandardError();
     bool _q_canWrite();
     bool _q_startupNotification();
-    bool _q_processDied();
+    void _q_processDied();
 
     QProcess::ProcessChannelMode processChannelMode = QProcess::SeparateChannels;
     QProcess::InputChannelMode inputChannelMode = QProcess::ManagedInputChannel;
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ public:
     void killProcess();
     void findExitCode();
 #ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
-    bool waitForDeadChild();
+    void waitForDeadChild();
 #endif
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
     bool callCreateProcess(QProcess::CreateProcessArguments *cpargs);
diff --git a/src/corelib/io/qprocess_unix.cpp b/src/corelib/io/qprocess_unix.cpp
index 9e5b26b3d6d..437d2872dd3 100644
--- a/src/corelib/io/qprocess_unix.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/io/qprocess_unix.cpp
@@ -768,8 +768,8 @@ bool QProcessPrivate::waitForReadyRead(int msecs)
             return false;
 
         if (qt_pollfd_check(poller.forkfd(), POLLIN)) {
-            if (_q_processDied())
-                return false;
+            _q_processDied();
+            return false;
         }
     }
     return false;
@@ -818,8 +818,8 @@ bool QProcessPrivate::waitForBytesWritten(int msecs)
             return false;
 
         if (qt_pollfd_check(poller.forkfd(), POLLIN)) {
-            if (_q_processDied())
-                return false;
+            _q_processDied();
+            return false;
         }
     }
 
@@ -867,8 +867,8 @@ bool QProcessPrivate::waitForFinished(int msecs)
             return true;
 
         if (qt_pollfd_check(poller.forkfd(), POLLIN)) {
-            if (_q_processDied())
-                return true;
+            _q_processDied();
+            return true;
         }
     }
     return false;
@@ -878,10 +878,10 @@ void QProcessPrivate::findExitCode()
 {
 }
 
-bool QProcessPrivate::waitForDeadChild()
+void QProcessPrivate::waitForDeadChild()
 {
     if (forkfd == -1)
-        return true; // child has already exited
+        return; // child has already been reaped
 
     // read the process information from our fd
     forkfd_info info;
@@ -901,7 +901,6 @@ bool QProcessPrivate::waitForDeadChild()
     qDebug() << "QProcessPrivate::waitForDeadChild() dead with exitCode"
              << exitCode << ", crashed?" << crashed;
 #endif
-    return true;
 }
 
 bool QProcessPrivate::startDetached(qint64 *pid)