diff --git a/bitbake/bin/bitbake-worker b/bitbake/bin/bitbake-worker
index 115bc1d091..6a12e1fed2 100755
--- a/bitbake/bin/bitbake-worker
+++ b/bitbake/bin/bitbake-worker
@@ -287,10 +287,12 @@ def fork_off_task(cfg, data, databuilder, workerdata, fn, task, taskname, taskha
             try:
                 if dry_run:
                     return 0
-                ret = bb.build.exec_task(fn, taskname, the_data, cfg.profile)
-                if fakeroot:
-                    fakerootcmd = shlex.split(the_data.getVar("FAKEROOTCMD"))
-                    subprocess.run(fakerootcmd + ['-S'], check=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+                try:
+                    ret = bb.build.exec_task(fn, taskname, the_data, cfg.profile)
+                finally:
+                    if fakeroot:
+                        fakerootcmd = shlex.split(the_data.getVar("FAKEROOTCMD"))
+                        subprocess.run(fakerootcmd + ['-S'], check=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
                 return ret
             except:
                 os._exit(1)