diff --git a/src/exec.cpp b/src/exec.cpp
index 35b007fed..03fc5687a 100644
--- a/src/exec.cpp
+++ b/src/exec.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <vector>
+#include <sys/mman.h>
+#include <semaphore.h>
 
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "common.h"
@@ -493,7 +495,7 @@ void exec_job(parser_t &parser, job_t *j) {
     //
     // We are careful to set these to -1 when closed, so if we exit the loop abruptly, we can still
     // close them.
-    int last_pid = -1;
+    sem_t *chained_wait_prev = nullptr;
     int pipe_current_read = -1, pipe_current_write = -1, pipe_next_read = -1;
     for (std::unique_ptr<process_t> &unique_p : j->processes) {
         if (exec_error) {
@@ -515,6 +517,10 @@ void exec_job(parser_t &parser, job_t *j) {
         //these semaphores will be used to make sure the first process lives long enough for the
         //next process in the chain to open its handles, process group, etc.
         //this child will block on this one, the next child will have to call sem_post against it.
+        sem_t *chained_wait_next = !pipes_to_next_command ? nullptr : (sem_t*)mmap(NULL, sizeof(sem_t*), PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE,MAP_SHARED|MAP_ANONYMOUS,-1, 0);
+        if (chained_wait_next != nullptr) {
+            sem_init(chained_wait_next, 1, 0);
+        }
 
         // The pipes the current process write to and read from. Unfortunately these can't be just
         // allocated on the stack, since j->io wants shared_ptr.
@@ -1065,17 +1071,17 @@ void exec_job(parser_t &parser, job_t *j) {
                 {
                     pid = execute_fork(false);
                     if (pid == 0) {
+                        // usleep is a hack that fixes any tcsetpgrp errors caused by race conditions
+                        // usleep(20 * 1000);
+                        // it should no longer be needed with the chained_wait_next code below.
+                        if (chained_wait_next != nullptr) {
+                            debug(3, L"Waiting for next command in chain to start.\n");
+                            sem_wait(chained_wait_next);
+                            sem_destroy(chained_wait_next);
+                            munmap(chained_wait_next, sizeof(sem_t));
+                        }
                         // This is the child process.
                         p->pid = getpid();
-                        // start child processes that are part of a job in a stopped state
-                        // to ensure that they are still running when the next command in the
-                        // chain is started.
-                        if (pipes_to_next_command) {
-                            debug(3, L"Blocking process %d waiting for next command in chain.\n", p->pid);
-                            kill(p->pid, SIGSTOP);
-                        }
-                        // the process will be resumed by the shell when the next command in the
-                        // chain is started
                         setup_child_process(j, p, process_net_io_chain);
                         safe_launch_process(p, actual_cmd, argv, envv);
                         // safe_launch_process _never_ returns...
@@ -1117,12 +1123,14 @@ void exec_job(parser_t &parser, job_t *j) {
         }
 
         //now that next command in the chain has been started, unblock the previous command
-        if (last_pid != -1) {
-            debug(3, L"Unblocking process %d.\n", last_pid);
-            kill(last_pid, SIGCONT);
+        if (chained_wait_prev != nullptr) {
+            debug(3, L"Unblocking previous command in chain.\n");
+            sem_post(chained_wait_prev);
+            munmap(chained_wait_prev, sizeof(sem_t));
+            chained_wait_prev = nullptr;
         }
-        if (pid != 0) {
-            last_pid = pid;
+        if (chained_wait_next != nullptr) {
+            chained_wait_prev = chained_wait_next;
         }
     }