diff --git a/connect.c b/connect.c
index a02583a102..fcd35c5539 100644
--- a/connect.c
+++ b/connect.c
@@ -1054,6 +1054,8 @@ static struct child_process *git_proxy_connect(int fd[2], char *host)
 	strvec_push(&proxy->args, port);
 	proxy->in = -1;
 	proxy->out = -1;
+	proxy->clean_on_exit = 1;
+	proxy->wait_after_clean = 1;
 	if (start_command(proxy))
 		die(_("cannot start proxy %s"), git_proxy_command);
 	fd[0] = proxy->out; /* read from proxy stdout */
@@ -1515,6 +1517,8 @@ struct child_process *git_connect(int fd[2], const char *url,
 		}
 		strvec_push(&conn->args, cmd.buf);
 
+		conn->clean_on_exit = 1;
+		conn->wait_after_clean = 1;
 		if (start_command(conn))
 			die(_("unable to fork"));
 
diff --git a/transport-helper.c b/transport-helper.c
index 4d95d84f9e..570d7c6439 100644
--- a/transport-helper.c
+++ b/transport-helper.c
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ static struct child_process *get_helper(struct transport *transport)
 
 	helper->trace2_child_class = helper->args.v[0]; /* "remote-<name>" */
 
+	helper->clean_on_exit = 1;
+	helper->wait_after_clean = 1;
 	code = start_command(helper);
 	if (code < 0 && errno == ENOENT)
 		die(_("unable to find remote helper for '%s'"), data->name);