diff --git a/libuv_reactor.c b/libuv_reactor.c
index 774ee4c..4743e90 100644
--- a/libuv_reactor.c
+++ b/libuv_reactor.c
@@ -1083,6 +1083,12 @@ static bool libuv_timer_start(zend_async_event_t *event)
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	// Hidden means "keeps firing, but is not a reason to stay alive": unref drops
+	// the timer out of uv_loop_alive() without stopping it.
+	if (ZEND_ASYNC_EVENT_IS_HIDDEN(event)) {
+		uv_unref((uv_handle_t *) &timer->uv_handle);
+	}
+
 	event->loop_ref_count++;
 	ZEND_ASYNC_INCREASE_EVENT_COUNT(event);
 	return true;
@@ -1655,6 +1661,8 @@ static void libuv_handle_process_events(void)
 			ZEND_ASYNC_CALLBACKS_NOTIFY(event, NULL, NULL);
 			// Process event will be removed when stopped
 		}
+		// ECHILD is not settled here: a notified event outlives this sweep, so a
+		// second sweep would overwrite its exit code with a made-up one.
 #endif
 	}
 
@@ -1694,44 +1702,63 @@ static void libuv_add_process_event(zend_async_event_t *event)
 
 /* }}} */
 
-/* {{{ libuv_remove_process_event */
-static void libuv_remove_process_event(zend_async_event_t *event)
+/* {{{ libuv_release_process_watch
+ * Drops the SIGCHLD handler once the last process event is gone. Call from every
+ * path that empties the table. */
+static void libuv_release_process_watch(void)
 {
-	if (ASYNC_G(process_events) == NULL) {
+	if (ASYNC_G(process_events) == NULL || zend_hash_num_elements(ASYNC_G(process_events)) > 0) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	// Get process handle from event to use as key
-	async_process_event_t *process_event = (async_process_event_t *) event;
-
-	zend_hash_index_del(ASYNC_G(process_events), (uintptr_t) process_event->event.process);
+	bool has_sigchld_signal_events = false;
 
-	// Only remove SIGCHLD handler if no more process events AND no regular signal events for SIGCHLD
-	if (zend_hash_num_elements(ASYNC_G(process_events)) == 0) {
-		bool has_sigchld_signal_events = false;
-
-		// Check if there are regular signal events for SIGCHLD
-		if (ASYNC_G(signal_events) != NULL) {
-			HashTable *sigchld_events = zend_hash_index_find_ptr(ASYNC_G(signal_events), SIGCHLD);
-			if (sigchld_events != NULL && zend_hash_num_elements(sigchld_events) > 0) {
-				has_sigchld_signal_events = true;
-			}
+	// Check if there are regular signal events for SIGCHLD
+	if (ASYNC_G(signal_events) != NULL) {
+		HashTable *sigchld_events = zend_hash_index_find_ptr(ASYNC_G(signal_events), SIGCHLD);
+		if (sigchld_events != NULL && zend_hash_num_elements(sigchld_events) > 0) {
+			has_sigchld_signal_events = true;
 		}
+	}
 
-		// Only remove handler if no signal events exist for SIGCHLD
-		if (!has_sigchld_signal_events && ASYNC_G(signal_handlers) != NULL) {
-			uv_signal_t *handler = zend_hash_index_find_ptr(ASYNC_G(signal_handlers), SIGCHLD);
-			if (handler != NULL) {
+	// Only remove handler if no signal events exist for SIGCHLD
+	if (!has_sigchld_signal_events && ASYNC_G(signal_handlers) != NULL) {
+		uv_signal_t *handler = zend_hash_index_find_ptr(ASYNC_G(signal_handlers), SIGCHLD);
+		if (handler != NULL) {
+			if ((bool) (uintptr_t) handler->data) {
+				// pcntl still needs delivery; closing reverts the OS disposition.
+				uv_unref((uv_handle_t *) handler);
+			} else {
 				uv_signal_stop(handler);
+#ifdef ZEND_SIGNALS
+				libuv_restore_signal_handler(SIGCHLD);
+#endif
 				uv_close((uv_handle_t *) handler, libuv_signal_close_cb);
 				zend_hash_index_del(ASYNC_G(signal_handlers), SIGCHLD);
 			}
 		}
+	}
 
-		zend_hash_destroy(ASYNC_G(process_events));
-		pefree(ASYNC_G(process_events), 0);
-		ASYNC_G(process_events) = NULL;
+	zend_hash_destroy(ASYNC_G(process_events));
+	pefree(ASYNC_G(process_events), 0);
+	ASYNC_G(process_events) = NULL;
+}
+
+/* }}} */
+
+/* {{{ libuv_remove_process_event */
+static void libuv_remove_process_event(zend_async_event_t *event)
+{
+	if (ASYNC_G(process_events) == NULL) {
+		return;
 	}
+
+	// Get process handle from event to use as key
+	async_process_event_t *process_event = (async_process_event_t *) event;
+
+	zend_hash_index_del(ASYNC_G(process_events), (uintptr_t) process_event->event.process);
+
+	libuv_release_process_watch();
 }
 
 /* }}} */
@@ -2170,6 +2197,7 @@ static bool libuv_process_event_dispose(zend_async_event_t *event)
 	const zend_process_t proc_handle = ((zend_async_process_event_t *) event)->process;
 	if ((uintptr_t) proc_handle != 0 && ASYNC_G(process_events) != NULL) {
 		zend_hash_index_del(ASYNC_G(process_events), (zend_ulong) (uintptr_t) proc_handle);
+		libuv_release_process_watch();
 	}
 
 #ifdef PHP_WIN32