diff --git a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_linux_Files.cpp b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_linux_Files.cpp
index f661e4ab4..dce73fcc2 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_linux_Files.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_linux_Files.cpp
@@ -223,15 +223,21 @@ bool Process::openDocument (const String& fileName, const String& parameters)
 
     const char* const argv[] = { "/bin/sh", "-c", cmdString.toUTF8(), nullptr };
 
+#if JUCE_USE_VFORK
+    const auto cpid = vfork();
+#else
     const auto cpid = fork();
+#endif
 
     if (cpid == 0)
     {
+#if ! JUCE_USE_VFORK
         setsid();
+#endif
 
         // Child process
-        execve (argv[0], (char**) argv, environ);
-        exit (0);
+        if (execve (argv[0], (char**) argv, environ) < 0)
+            _exit (0);
     }
 
     return cpid >= 0;
diff --git a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_mac_Files.mm b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_mac_Files.mm
index aefa76317..066c12cde 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_mac_Files.mm
+++ b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_mac_Files.mm
@@ -92,23 +92,22 @@ namespace MacFileHelpers
    #else
     static bool launchExecutable (const String& pathAndArguments)
     {
+        const char* const argv[4] = { "/bin/sh", "-c", pathAndArguments.toUTF8(), nullptr };
+
+#if JUCE_USE_VFORK
+        const auto cpid = vfork();
+#else
         auto cpid = fork();
+#endif
 
         if (cpid == 0)
         {
-            const char* const argv[4] = { "/bin/sh", "-c", pathAndArguments.toUTF8(), nullptr };
-
             // Child process
-            if (execve (argv[0], (char**) argv, nullptr) < 0)
-                exit (0);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            if (cpid < 0)
-                return false;
+            if (execvp (argv[0], (char**) argv) < 0)
+                _exit (0);
         }
 
-        return true;
+        return cpid >= 0;
     }
    #endif
 }
diff --git a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_posix_SharedCode.h b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_posix_SharedCode.h
index f3a8f061b..bcd3eab59 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_posix_SharedCode.h
+++ b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_posix_SharedCode.h
@@ -1125,7 +1125,18 @@ public:
 
         if (pipe (pipeHandles) == 0)
         {
-            auto result = fork();
+              Array<char*> argv;
+              for (auto& arg : arguments)
+                  if (arg.isNotEmpty())
+                      argv.add (const_cast<char*> (arg.toRawUTF8()));
+
+              argv.add (nullptr);
+
+#if JUCE_USE_VFORK
+            const pid_t result = vfork();
+#else
+            const pid_t result = fork();
+#endif
 
             if (result < 0)
             {
@@ -1134,6 +1145,7 @@ public:
             }
             else if (result == 0)
             {
+#if ! JUCE_USE_VFORK
                 // we're the child process..
                 close (pipeHandles[0]);   // close the read handle
 
@@ -1148,17 +1160,10 @@ public:
                     dup2 (open ("/dev/null", O_WRONLY), STDERR_FILENO);
 
                 close (pipeHandles[1]);
+#endif
 
-                Array<char*> argv;
-
-                for (auto& arg : arguments)
-                    if (arg.isNotEmpty())
-                        argv.add (const_cast<char*> (arg.toRawUTF8()));
-
-                argv.add (nullptr);
-
-                execvp (exe.toRawUTF8(), argv.getRawDataPointer());
-                _exit (-1);
+                if (execvp (exe.toRawUTF8(), argv.getRawDataPointer()) < 0)
+                    _exit (-1);
             }
             else
             {