diff --git a/sbin/reboot/reboot.c b/sbin/reboot/reboot.c
index 89384cf2e484..e1ab762d2019 100644
--- a/sbin/reboot/reboot.c
+++ b/sbin/reboot/reboot.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: reboot.c,v 1.12 1997/07/17 02:52:22 perry Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: reboot.c,v 1.13 1997/07/19 22:27:20 perry Exp $	*/
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1980, 1986, 1993
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ static char copyright[] =
 #if 0
 static char sccsid[] = "@(#)reboot.c	8.1 (Berkeley) 6/5/93";
 #else
-static char rcsid[] = "$NetBSD: reboot.c,v 1.12 1997/07/17 02:52:22 perry Exp $";
+static char rcsid[] = "$NetBSD: reboot.c,v 1.13 1997/07/19 22:27:20 perry Exp $";
 #endif
 #endif /* not lint */
 
@@ -155,8 +155,18 @@ main(argc, argv)
 	(void)signal(SIGHUP, SIG_IGN);
 
 	/* Send a SIGTERM first, a chance to save the buffers. */
-	if (kill(-1, SIGTERM) == -1)
-		err("SIGTERM processes: %s", strerror(errno));
+	if (kill(-1, SIGTERM) == -1) {
+		/*
+		 * If ESRCH, everything's OK: we're the only non-system
+		 * process!  That can happen e.g. via 'exec reboot' in
+		 * single-user mode.
+		 */
+		if (errno != ESRCH) {
+			(void)fprintf(stderr, "%s: SIGTERM processes: %s",
+			    dohalt ? "halt" : "reboot", strerror(errno));
+			goto restart;
+		}
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * After the processes receive the signal, start the rest of the