--- /src_root/cpython/Lib/distutils/spawn.py	Mon Jun 16 18:00:27 2014
+++ /vms_root/cpython/Lib/distutils/spawn.py	Tue Jul  1 23:59:47 2014
@@ -33,7 +33,12 @@
     # in, protect our %-formatting code against horrible death
     cmd = list(cmd)
     if os.name == 'posix':
-        _spawn_posix(cmd, search_path, dry_run=dry_run)
+        try:
+            _spawn_posix(cmd, search_path, dry_run=dry_run)
+        except (OSError, AttributeError):
+            # If the plaform does not support fork() then maybe it needs to
+            # mimic NT with spawn.
+            _spawn_nt(cmd, search_path, dry_run=dry_run)
     elif os.name == 'nt':
         _spawn_nt(cmd, search_path, dry_run=dry_run)
     else: