diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py b/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py
--- a/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/PyShell.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import threading
 import traceback
 import types
+import subprocess
 
 import linecache
 from code import InteractiveInterpreter
@@ -344,13 +345,12 @@
         self.port = PORT
 
     rpcclt = None
-    rpcpid = None
+    rpcsubproc = None
 
     def spawn_subprocess(self):
         if self.subprocess_arglist is None:
             self.subprocess_arglist = self.build_subprocess_arglist()
-        args = self.subprocess_arglist
-        self.rpcpid = os.spawnv(os.P_NOWAIT, sys.executable, args)
+        self.rpcsubproc = subprocess.Popen(self.subprocess_arglist)
 
     def build_subprocess_arglist(self):
         assert (self.port!=0), (
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@
                 pass
         # Kill subprocess, spawn a new one, accept connection.
         self.rpcclt.close()
-        self.unix_terminate()
+        self.terminate_subprocess()
         console = self.tkconsole
         was_executing = console.executing
         console.executing = False
@@ -469,23 +469,22 @@
             self.rpcclt.close()
         except AttributeError:  # no socket
             pass
-        self.unix_terminate()
+        self.terminate_subprocess()
         self.tkconsole.executing = False
         self.rpcclt = None
 
-    def unix_terminate(self):
-        "UNIX: make sure subprocess is terminated and collect status"
-        if hasattr(os, 'kill'):
+    def terminate_subprocess(self):
+        "Make sure subprocess is terminated"
+        try:
+            self.rpcsubproc.kill()
+        except OSError:
+            # process already terminated
+            return
+        else:
             try:
-                os.kill(self.rpcpid, SIGTERM)
-            except OSError:
-                # process already terminated:
+                self.rpcsubproc.wait()
+            except OSerror:
                 return
-            else:
-                try:
-                    os.waitpid(self.rpcpid, 0)
-                except OSError:
-                    return
 
     def transfer_path(self):
         self.runcommand("""if 1: