--- do_command-orig.c	2018-07-01 14:33:34.186759696 -0700
+++ do_command.c	2018-07-01 14:37:15.325880510 -0700
@@ -416,45 +416,55 @@
 	 * we would block here.  thus we must fork again.
 	 */
 
-	if (*input_data && fork() == 0) {
-		register FILE	*out = fdopen(stdin_pipe[WRITE_PIPE], "w");
-		register int	need_newline = FALSE;
-		register int	escaped = FALSE;
-		register int	ch;
-
-		Debug(DPROC, ("[%d] child2 sending data to grandchild\n", getpid()))
-
-		/* translation:
-		 *	\% -> %
-		 *	%  -> \n
-		 *	\x -> \x	for all x != %
-		 */
-		while ((ch = *input_data++) != '\0') {
-			if (escaped) {
-				if (ch != '%')
-					putc('\\', out);
-			} else {
-				if (ch == '%')
-					ch = '\n';
-			}
-
-			if (!(escaped = (ch == '\\'))) {
-				putc(ch, out);
-				need_newline = (ch != '\n');
+	if (*input_data) {
+		switch (fork()) {
+		case -1:
+			log_it("CRON",getpid(),"error","can't fork to send input_data");
+			break;
+		case 0:
+			register FILE	*out = fdopen(stdin_pipe[WRITE_PIPE], "w");
+			register int	need_newline = FALSE;
+			register int	escaped = FALSE;
+			register int	ch;
+
+			Debug(DPROC, ("[%d] child2 sending data to grandchild\n", getpid()))
+
+			/* translation:
+			 *	\% -> %
+			 *	%  -> \n
+			 *	\x -> \x	for all x != %
+			 */
+			while ((ch = *input_data++) != '\0') {
+				if (escaped) {
+					if (ch != '%')
+						putc('\\', out);
+				} else {
+					if (ch == '%')
+						ch = '\n';
+				}
+
+				if (!(escaped = (ch == '\\'))) {
+					putc(ch, out);
+					need_newline = (ch != '\n');
+				}
 			}
+			if (escaped)
+				putc('\\', out);
+			if (need_newline)
+				putc('\n', out);
+
+			/* close the pipe, causing an EOF condition.  fclose causes
+			 * stdin_pipe[WRITE_PIPE] to be closed, too.
+			 */
+			fclose(out);
+
+			Debug(DPROC, ("[%d] child2 done sending to grandchild\n", getpid()))
+			exit(0);
+			break;
+		default:
+			children++;
+			break;
 		}
-		if (escaped)
-			putc('\\', out);
-		if (need_newline)
-			putc('\n', out);
-
-		/* close the pipe, causing an EOF condition.  fclose causes
-		 * stdin_pipe[WRITE_PIPE] to be closed, too.
-		 */
-		fclose(out);
-
-		Debug(DPROC, ("[%d] child2 done sending to grandchild\n", getpid()))
-		exit(0);
 	}
 
 	/* close the pipe to the grandkiddie's stdin, since its wicked uncle
@@ -462,8 +472,6 @@
 	 */
 	close(stdin_pipe[WRITE_PIPE]);
 
-	children++;
-
 	/*
 	 * read output from the grandchild.  it's stderr has been redirected to
 	 * it's stdout, which has been redirected to our pipe.  if there is any