diff --git a/qga/commands-posix.c b/qga/commands-posix.c
index 9b1bdf194c..cb9eed9a0b 100644
--- a/qga/commands-posix.c
+++ b/qga/commands-posix.c
@@ -108,7 +108,6 @@ static ssize_t ga_pipe_read_str(int fd[2], char **str)
  * sending string to stdin and taking error message from
  * stdout/err.
  */
-G_GNUC_UNUSED
 static int ga_run_command(const char *argv[], const char *in_str,
                           const char *action, Error **errp)
 {
@@ -230,8 +229,6 @@ void qmp_guest_shutdown(const char *mode, Error **errp)
 {
     const char *shutdown_flag;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
-    pid_t pid;
-    int status;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SOLARIS
     const char *powerdown_flag = "-i5";
@@ -260,46 +257,22 @@ void qmp_guest_shutdown(const char *mode, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
 
-    pid = fork();
-    if (pid == 0) {
-        /* child, start the shutdown */
-        setsid();
-        reopen_fd_to_null(0);
-        reopen_fd_to_null(1);
-        reopen_fd_to_null(2);
-
+    const char *argv[] = {"/sbin/shutdown",
 #ifdef CONFIG_SOLARIS
-        execl("/sbin/shutdown", "shutdown", shutdown_flag, "-g0", "-y",
-              "hypervisor initiated shutdown", (char *)NULL);
+                          shutdown_flag, "-g0", "-y",
 #elif defined(CONFIG_BSD)
-        execl("/sbin/shutdown", "shutdown", shutdown_flag, "+0",
-               "hypervisor initiated shutdown", (char *)NULL);
+                          shutdown_flag, "+0",
 #else
-        execl("/sbin/shutdown", "shutdown", "-h", shutdown_flag, "+0",
-               "hypervisor initiated shutdown", (char *)NULL);
+                          "-h", shutdown_flag, "+0",
 #endif
-        _exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    } else if (pid < 0) {
-        error_setg_errno(errp, errno, "failed to create child process");
-        return;
-    }
+                          "hypervisor initiated shutdown", (char *) NULL};
 
-    ga_wait_child(pid, &status, &local_err);
+    ga_run_command(argv, NULL, "shutdown", &local_err);
     if (local_err) {
         error_propagate(errp, local_err);
         return;
     }
 
-    if (!WIFEXITED(status)) {
-        error_setg(errp, "child process has terminated abnormally");
-        return;
-    }
-
-    if (WEXITSTATUS(status)) {
-        error_setg(errp, "child process has failed to shutdown");
-        return;
-    }
-
     /* succeeded */
 }