diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index 4aaebd1e99a..4a1f9fec85e 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -609,10 +609,6 @@ var spawn = exports.spawn = function(file, args, options) {
     gid: options ? options.gid : null
   });
 
-  if (options && options.detached) {
-    child.unref();
-  }
-
   return child;
 };