diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 32718b2bd48..5df99c60245 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ PHP                                                                        NEWS
   . Fixed bug GH-14082 (Segmentation fault on unknown address 0x600000000018
     in ext/opcache/jit/zend_jit.c). (nielsdos)
 
+- PCNTL:
+  . Fixed bug GH-18958 (Fatal error during shutdown after pcntl_rfork() or
+    pcntl_forkx() with zend-max-execution-timers). (Arnaud)
+
 - Standard:
   . Fix misleading errors in printf(). (nielsdos)
   . Fix RCN violations in array functions. (nielsdos)
diff --git a/ext/pcntl/pcntl.c b/ext/pcntl/pcntl.c
index 25a4de9386d..27e0c90dc96 100644
--- a/ext/pcntl/pcntl.c
+++ b/ext/pcntl/pcntl.c
@@ -1513,6 +1513,8 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(pcntl_rfork)
 		default:
 			php_error_docref(NULL, E_WARNING, "Error %d", errno);
 		}
+	} else if (pid == 0) {
+		zend_max_execution_timer_init();
 	}
 
 	RETURN_LONG((zend_long) pid);
@@ -1556,6 +1558,8 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(pcntl_forkx)
 		default:
 			php_error_docref(NULL, E_WARNING, "Error %d", errno);
 		}
+	} else if (pid == 0) {
+		zend_max_execution_timer_init();
 	}
 
 	RETURN_LONG((zend_long) pid);