diff --git a/common/os_calls.c b/common/os_calls.c
index a725247e..b9e0af37 100644
--- a/common/os_calls.c
+++ b/common/os_calls.c
@@ -2591,16 +2591,41 @@ g_get_errno(void)
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 /* does not work in win32 */
+
+#define ARGS_STR_LEN 1024
+
 int
 g_execvp(const char *p1, char *args[])
 {
 #if defined(_WIN32)
     return 0;
 #else
+
     int rv;
+    char args_str[ARGS_STR_LEN];
+    int args_len;
+
+    args_len = 0;
+    while (args[args_len] != NULL)
+    {
+        args_len++;
+    }
+
+    g_strnjoin(args_str, ARGS_STR_LEN, " ", (const char **) args, args_len);
+
+    LOG(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG,
+        "Calling exec (excutable: %s, arguments: %s)",
+        p1, args_str);
 
     g_rm_temp_dir();
     rv = execvp(p1, args);
+
+    /* should not get here */
+    LOG(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR,
+        "Error calling exec (excutable: %s, arguments: %s) "
+        "returned errno: %d, description: %s",
+        p1, args_str, g_get_errno(), g_get_strerror());
+
     g_mk_socket_path(0);
     return rv;
 #endif
@@ -2615,9 +2640,24 @@ g_execlp3(const char *a1, const char *a2, const char *a3)
     return 0;
 #else
     int rv;
+    const char *args[] = {a2, a3, NULL};
+    char args_str[ARGS_STR_LEN];
+
+    g_strnjoin(args_str, ARGS_STR_LEN, " ", args, 2);
+
+    LOG(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG,
+        "Calling exec (excutable: %s, arguments: %s)",
+        a1, args_str);
 
     g_rm_temp_dir();
     rv = execlp(a1, a2, a3, (void *)0);
+
+    /* should not get here */
+    LOG(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR,
+        "Error calling exec (excutable: %s, arguments: %s) "
+        "returned errno: %d, description: %s",
+        a1, args_str, g_get_errno(), g_get_strerror());
+
     g_mk_socket_path(0);
     return rv;
 #endif
@@ -2716,6 +2756,12 @@ g_fork(void)
     {
         g_mk_socket_path(0);
     }
+    else if (rv == -1) /* error */
+    {
+        LOG(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR,
+            "Process fork failed with errno: %d, description: %s",
+            g_get_errno(), g_get_strerror());
+    }
 
     return rv;
 #endif
@@ -2876,6 +2922,51 @@ g_waitpid(int pid)
 #endif
 }
 
+/*****************************************************************************/
+/* does not work in win32
+   returns exit status code of child process with pid */
+struct exit_status
+g_waitpid_status(int pid)
+{
+    struct exit_status exit_status;
+
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+    exit_status.exit_code = -1;
+    exit_status.signal_no = 0;
+    return exit_status;
+#else
+    int rv;
+    int status;
+
+    exit_status.exit_code = -1;
+    exit_status.signal_no = 0;
+
+    if (pid > 0)
+    {
+        LOG(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG, "waiting for pid %d to exit", pid);
+        rv = waitpid(pid, &status, 0);
+
+        if (rv != -1)
+        {
+            if (WIFEXITED(status))
+            {
+                exit_status.exit_code = WEXITSTATUS(status);
+            }
+            if (WIFSIGNALED(status))
+            {
+                exit_status.signal_no = WTERMSIG(status);
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            LOG(LOG_LEVEL_WARNING, "wait for pid %d returned unknown result", pid);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return exit_status;
+#endif
+}
+
 /*****************************************************************************/
 /* does not work in win32 */
 void
diff --git a/common/os_calls.h b/common/os_calls.h
index 6b73402b..b70693fc 100644
--- a/common/os_calls.h
+++ b/common/os_calls.h
@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@
 
 #include "arch.h"
 
+struct exit_status
+{
+    /* set to -1 when the process exited via a signal */
+    uint8_t exit_code;
+    
+    /* set to 0 when the process exited normally */
+    uint8_t signal_no;
+};
+
 #define g_tcp_can_recv g_sck_can_recv
 #define g_tcp_can_send g_sck_can_send
 #define g_tcp_recv g_sck_recv
@@ -145,6 +154,7 @@ int      g_getlogin(char *name, unsigned int len);
 int      g_setlogin(const char *name);
 int      g_waitchild(void);
 int      g_waitpid(int pid);
+struct exit_status g_waitpid_status(int pid);
 void     g_clearenv(void);
 int      g_setenv(const char *name, const char *value, int rewrite);
 char    *g_getenv(const char *name);