diff --git a/bin/sh/trap.c b/bin/sh/trap.c
index 00924804b951..836ce976414b 100644
--- a/bin/sh/trap.c
+++ b/bin/sh/trap.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: trap.c,v 1.14 1995/06/05 14:24:33 christos Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: trap.c,v 1.15 1995/06/07 04:16:57 christos Exp $	*/
 
 /*-
  * Copyright (c) 1991, 1993
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@
 
 #ifndef lint
 #if 0
-static char sccsid[] = "@(#)trap.c	8.4 (Berkeley) 6/5/95";
+static char sccsid[] = "@(#)trap.c	8.5 (Berkeley) 6/5/95";
 #else
-static char rcsid[] = "$NetBSD: trap.c,v 1.14 1995/06/05 14:24:33 christos Exp $";
+static char rcsid[] = "$NetBSD: trap.c,v 1.15 1995/06/07 04:16:57 christos Exp $";
 #endif
 #endif /* not lint */
 
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ MKINIT char sigmode[NSIG];	/* current value of signal */
 char gotsig[NSIG];		/* indicates specified signal received */
 int pendingsigs;			/* indicates some signal received */
 
+static int getsigaction __P((int, sig_t *));
+
 /*
  * The trap builtin.
  */
@@ -162,7 +164,6 @@ setsignal(signo)
 	sig_t sigact = SIG_DFL;
 	char *t;
 	extern void onsig();
-	extern sig_t getsigaction();
 
 	if ((t = trap[signo]) == NULL)
 		action = S_DFL;
@@ -200,16 +201,19 @@ setsignal(signo)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (signo == SIGKILL) 
-		/* Pretend it worked */
-		return 0;
-
 	t = &sigmode[signo - 1];
 	if (*t == 0) {	
 		/* 
 		 * current setting unknown 
 		 */
-		sigact = getsigaction(signo);
+		if (!getsigaction(signo, &sigact)) {
+			/*
+			 * Pretend it worked; maybe we should give a warning
+			 * here, but other shells don't. We don't alter
+			 * sigmode, so that we retry every time.
+			 */
+			return 0;
+		}
 		if (sigact == SIG_IGN) {
 			if (mflag && (signo == SIGTSTP || 
 			     signo == SIGTTIN || signo == SIGTTOU)) {
@@ -234,16 +238,17 @@ setsignal(signo)
 /*
  * Return the current setting for sig w/o changing it.
  */
-sig_t
-getsigaction(signo) 
+static int
+getsigaction(signo, sigact) 
 	int signo;
+	sig_t *sigact;
 {
 	struct sigaction sa;
 
 	if (sigaction(signo, (struct sigaction *)0, &sa) == -1)
-		error("Sigaction system call failed");
-
-	return (sig_t) sa.sa_handler;
+		return 0;
+	*sigact = (sig_t) sa.sa_handler;
+	return 1;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/bin/sh/trap.h b/bin/sh/trap.h
index 8971e59de230..64abb12b420f 100644
--- a/bin/sh/trap.h
+++ b/bin/sh/trap.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: trap.h,v 1.9 1995/05/11 21:30:32 christos Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: trap.h,v 1.10 1995/06/07 04:17:00 christos Exp $	*/
 
 /*-
  * Copyright (c) 1991, 1993
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
  * OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
  * SUCH DAMAGE.
  *
- *	@(#)trap.h	8.2 (Berkeley) 5/4/95
+ *	@(#)trap.h	8.3 (Berkeley) 6/5/95
  */
 
 extern int pendingsigs;
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ extern int pendingsigs;
 int trapcmd __P((int, char **));
 void clear_traps __P((void)); 
 long setsignal __P((int)); 
-sig_t getsigaction __P((int));
 void ignoresig __P((int));
 void onsig __P((int));
 void dotrap __P((void));