copyberry · Sep 23, 2026 · Sep 23, 2026
diff --git a/codex-rs/utils/pty/src/child.rs b/codex-rs/utils/pty/src/child.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 //! Local child ownership and platform selection, independent of process transports.
 //!
-//! Every child exposes Tokio stdio handles. Native children retain their PID until
+//! Every child exposes Tokio stdio handles. Reap-only children retain ownership until
 //! reaped, including when a wait is cancelled or the async runtime shuts down.
 
 use std::io;
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ use tokio::process::ChildStdout;
 #[path = "macos_child.rs"]
 pub(super) mod macos;
 
+#[cfg(unix)]
+#[path = "child_reaper.rs"]
+pub(super) mod reaper;
+
 /// A local subprocess with owned stdio and cancellation-safe exit handling.
 pub struct Child {
     pub(super) inner: ChildKind,
@@ -25,6 +29,11 @@ pub struct Child {
 
 pub(super) enum ChildKind {
     Tokio(tokio::process::Child),
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    TokioReapOnly {
+        child: Option<tokio::process::Child>,
+        reaper: std::sync::mpsc::Sender<reaper::ChildToReap>,
+    },
     #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
     Native(macos::NativeChild),
 }
@@ -33,6 +42,10 @@ impl Child {
     pub fn id(&self) -> Option<u32> {
         match &self.inner {
             ChildKind::Tokio(child) => child.id(),
+            #[cfg(unix)]
+            ChildKind::TokioReapOnly { child, .. } => {
+                child.as_ref().and_then(tokio::process::Child::id)
+            }
             #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
             ChildKind::Native(child) => child.id(),
         }
@@ -43,12 +56,20 @@ impl Child {
         self.stdin.take();
         match &mut self.inner {
             ChildKind::Tokio(child) => child.wait().await,
+            #[cfg(unix)]
+            ChildKind::TokioReapOnly { child, .. } => {
+                child
+                    .as_mut()
+                    .ok_or_else(|| io::Error::other("child already transferred to reaper"))?
+                    .wait()
+                    .await
+            }
             #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
             ChildKind::Native(child) => child.wait().await,
         }
     }
 
-    /// Drain both output pipes while waiting, retaining kill-on-drop on cancellation.
+    /// Drain both output pipes while waiting, retaining the configured drop policy on cancellation.
     pub async fn wait_with_output(mut self) -> io::Result<std::process::Output> {
         let mut stdout = self.stdout.take();
         let mut stderr = self.stderr.take();
@@ -85,6 +106,14 @@ impl Child {
         self.stdin.take();
         match &mut self.inner {
             ChildKind::Tokio(child) => child.kill().await,
+            #[cfg(unix)]
+            ChildKind::TokioReapOnly { child, .. } => {
+                child
+                    .as_mut()
+                    .ok_or_else(|| io::Error::other("child already transferred to reaper"))?
+                    .kill()
+                    .await
+            }
             #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
             ChildKind::Native(child) => child.kill().await,
         }
@@ -94,3 +123,17 @@ impl Child {
 #[cfg(all(test, unix))]
 #[path = "child_tests.rs"]
 mod tests;
+
+impl Drop for ChildKind {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        #[cfg(unix)]
+        if let Self::TokioReapOnly { child, reaper } = self
+            && let Some(child) = child.take()
+            && child.id().is_some()
+        {
+            // Transfer the handle, not only its PID: Tokio must not enqueue it
+            // into a stopped runtime's orphan queue before our worker reaps it.
+            let _ = reaper.send(reaper::ChildToReap::Tokio(child));
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/codex-rs/utils/pty/src/child_command.rs b/codex-rs/utils/pty/src/child_command.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 //!
 //! The wrapped Tokio command is private: callers cannot install callbacks or
 //! change settings that the native backend cannot inspect. Children receive only
-//! explicitly supplied environment variables and kill-on-drop. Stdio, descriptor
+//! explicitly supplied environment variables and default to kill-on-drop. Stdio, descriptor
 //! inheritance, and compatibility fallbacks are configured independently.
 
 use std::ffi::OsStr;
@@ -36,6 +36,19 @@ pub enum SpawnFallback {
     ReturnError,
 }
 
+/// Cleanup performed when a child handle is dropped before its exit is collected.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+pub(crate) enum ChildDropPolicy {
+    /// Kill the direct child, then reap it. This is the default.
+    KillAndReap,
+    /// Reap the child when it exits, leaving termination to the caller.
+    #[allow(
+        dead_code,
+        reason = "Used by the pipe adapter in the next stacked change."
+    )]
+    ReapOnly,
+}
+
 /// An explicit child stdin, including a socket used for bidirectional fd transfer.
 pub enum ChildStdin {
     Piped,
@@ -50,6 +63,7 @@ pub struct Command {
     pub(crate) descriptor_policy: DescriptorPolicy,
     pub(crate) fallback: SpawnFallback,
     pub(crate) stdin: ChildStdin,
+    pub(crate) drop_policy: ChildDropPolicy,
     #[cfg(unix)]
     pub(crate) arg0: Option<OsString>,
 }
@@ -69,6 +83,7 @@ impl Command {
             descriptor_policy: DescriptorPolicy::Inherit,
             fallback: SpawnFallback::Compatible,
             stdin: ChildStdin::Piped,
+            drop_policy: ChildDropPolicy::KillAndReap,
             #[cfg(unix)]
             arg0: None,
         }
@@ -108,6 +123,20 @@ impl Command {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Choose who owns termination when the child handle is dropped.
+    #[allow(
+        dead_code,
+        reason = "Used by the pipe adapter in the next stacked change."
+    )]
+    pub(crate) fn drop_policy(&mut self, policy: ChildDropPolicy) -> &mut Self {
+        self.drop_policy = policy;
+        self.inner.kill_on_drop(match policy {
+            ChildDropPolicy::KillAndReap => true,
+            ChildDropPolicy::ReapOnly => false,
+        });
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn stdin(&mut self, stdin: ChildStdin) -> &mut Self {
         self.stdin = stdin;
         self
@@ -170,12 +199,30 @@ impl Command {
                 });
             }
         }
+        #[cfg(unix)]
+        let reaper = match self.drop_policy {
+            ChildDropPolicy::KillAndReap => None,
+            ChildDropPolicy::ReapOnly => Some(crate::child::reaper::sender()?),
+        };
         let mut child = self.inner.spawn()?;
         Ok(Child {
             stdin: child.stdin.take(),
             stdout: child.stdout.take(),
             stderr: child.stderr.take(),
-            inner: ChildKind::Tokio(child),
+            inner: {
+                #[cfg(unix)]
+                {
+                    match reaper {
+                        Some(reaper) => ChildKind::TokioReapOnly {
+                            child: Some(child),
+                            reaper,
+                        },
+                        None => ChildKind::Tokio(child),
+                    }
+                }
+                #[cfg(not(unix))]
+                ChildKind::Tokio(child)
+            },
         })
     }
 }

diff --git a/codex-rs/utils/pty/src/child_reaper.rs b/codex-rs/utils/pty/src/child_reaper.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+//! Runtime-independent cleanup for children whose termination is externally owned.
+//!
+//! Initialize the shared worker before launch so dropping a live child never
+//! creates a thread or waits for its exit. Poll only transferred PIDs, retaining
+//! ownership until reaped, so one live child cannot delay cleanup of another.
+
+use std::io;
+#[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+use std::ptr;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
+use std::sync::PoisonError;
+use std::sync::mpsc;
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+/// Exclusive ownership transferred by a child handle after its caller drops it.
+pub(crate) enum ChildToReap {
+    #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+    Native(libc::pid_t),
+    Tokio(tokio::process::Child),
+}
+
+static REAPER: Mutex<Option<mpsc::Sender<ChildToReap>>> = Mutex::new(None);
+const REAP_BATCH_SIZE: usize = 64;
+
+/// Reserve the shared reaper, returning thread creation failures before launch.
+pub(crate) fn sender() -> io::Result<mpsc::Sender<ChildToReap>> {
+    let mut reaper = REAPER.lock().unwrap_or_else(PoisonError::into_inner);
+    if let Some(sender) = &*reaper {
+        return Ok(sender.clone());
+    }
+    let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel();
+    std::thread::Builder::new()
+        .name("codex-child-reaper".into())
+        .spawn(move || {
+            let mut pending = Vec::new();
+            loop {
+                if pending.is_empty() {
+                    let Ok(pid) = receiver.recv() else { return };
+                    pending.push(pid);
+                } else {
+                    match receiver.recv_timeout(Duration::from_millis(10)) {
+                        Ok(pid) => pending.push(pid),
+                        Err(mpsc::RecvTimeoutError::Timeout) => {}
+                        Err(mpsc::RecvTimeoutError::Disconnected) => return,
+                    }
+                }
+                // Amortize scans across bursts without starving reaping when drops continue.
+                pending.extend(receiver.try_iter().take(REAP_BATCH_SIZE - 1));
+                pending.retain_mut(|child| match child {
+                    #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
+                    ChildToReap::Native(pid) => {
+                        // SAFETY: Drop transferred exclusive ownership of this PID.
+                        let result = unsafe { libc::waitpid(*pid, ptr::null_mut(), libc::WNOHANG) };
+                        result == 0
+                            || (result == -1
+                                && io::Error::last_os_error().kind() == io::ErrorKind::Interrupted)
+                    }
+                    ChildToReap::Tokio(child) => match child.try_wait() {
+                        Ok(None) => true,
+                        Ok(Some(_)) => false,
+                        Err(error) => error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::Interrupted,
+                    },
+                });
+            }
+        })?;
+    *reaper = Some(sender.clone());
+    Ok(sender)
+}
diff --git a/codex-rs/utils/pty/src/child_tests.rs b/codex-rs/utils/pty/src/child_tests.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-//! Regression coverage for output-pipe lifetimes while waiting for a child.
+//! Regression coverage for output-pipe lifetimes and runtime-independent reaping.
 
 use std::future::Future;
 use std::future::poll_fn;
@@ -66,3 +66,98 @@ async fn wait_with_output_keeps_eof_pipes_open_until_exit() -> anyhow::Result<()
     );
     Ok(())
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn non_killing_drop_reaps_after_runtime_shutdown() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    use crate::child_command::ChildDropPolicy;
+    use std::time::Duration;
+    if std::env::var_os("CODEX_TEST_ISOLATED_REAPER").is_none() {
+        // Other Tokio tests must not drain this process's global orphan queue.
+        let output = std::process::Command::new(std::env::current_exe()?)
+            .args([
+                "--exact",
+                "child::tests::non_killing_drop_reaps_after_runtime_shutdown",
+                "--nocapture",
+            ])
+            .env("CODEX_TEST_ISOLATED_REAPER", "1")
+            .output()?;
+        assert!(
+            output.status.success(),
+            "isolated reaper test failed:\n{}\n{}",
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout),
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr),
+        );
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+    for program in ["cat", "/bin/cat"] {
+        let runtime = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
+            .enable_all()
+            .build()?;
+        let mut child = runtime.block_on(async {
+            let mut command = crate::Command::new(program);
+            command.drop_policy(ChildDropPolicy::ReapOnly);
+            command.spawn()
+        })?;
+        let stdin = child.stdin.take();
+        let pid = child.id().expect("live PID");
+        let next = runtime.block_on(async {
+            let mut command = crate::Command::new(program);
+            command.drop_policy(ChildDropPolicy::ReapOnly);
+            command.spawn()
+        })?;
+        let next_pid = next.id().expect("live PID");
+        drop(runtime);
+        drop(child);
+        drop(next);
+        // The shared reaper must collect the second child while the first remains alive.
+        wait_until_reaped(next_pid)?;
+        // Keep stdin open: cat must remain alive even after its owner and runtime go away.
+        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50));
+        let mut info = std::mem::MaybeUninit::<libc::siginfo_t>::zeroed();
+        // SAFETY: waitid only observes our child without reaping it, with writable storage.
+        assert_eq!(
+            unsafe {
+                libc::waitid(
+                    libc::P_PID,
+                    pid,
+                    info.as_mut_ptr(),
+                    libc::WEXITED | libc::WNOHANG | libc::WNOWAIT,
+                )
+            },
+            0
+        );
+        // SAFETY: waitid succeeded and initialized the zeroed signal information.
+        assert_eq!(unsafe { info.assume_init().si_pid() }, 0);
+        drop(stdin);
+        wait_until_reaped(pid)?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn wait_until_reaped(pid: u32) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    use std::io;
+    use std::time::Duration;
+    let mut info = std::mem::MaybeUninit::<libc::siginfo_t>::zeroed();
+    let deadline = std::time::Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(5);
+    loop {
+        // SAFETY: WNOWAIT prevents the test from stealing the reaper's child.
+        if unsafe {
+            libc::waitid(
+                libc::P_PID,
+                pid,
+                info.as_mut_ptr(),
+                libc::WEXITED | libc::WNOHANG | libc::WNOWAIT,
+            )
+        } == -1
+        {
+            assert_eq!(
+                io::Error::last_os_error().raw_os_error(),
+                Some(libc::ECHILD)
+            );
+            break;
+        }
+        anyhow::ensure!(std::time::Instant::now() < deadline, "child was not reaped");
+        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(10));
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}