diff --git a/app/atom_main.cc b/app/atom_main.cc
index e868a63a6d..0dfeb386a3 100644
--- a/app/atom_main.cc
+++ b/app/atom_main.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "content/public/app/content_main.h"
@@ -22,7 +23,8 @@ int Start(int argc, char *argv[]);
 int APIENTRY wWinMain(HINSTANCE instance, HINSTANCE, wchar_t* cmd, int) {
   int argc = 0;
   wchar_t** wargv = ::CommandLineToArgvW(::GetCommandLineW(), &argc);
-  if (argc > 1 && wcscmp(wargv[1], L"--atom-child_process-fork") == 0) {
+  char* node_indicator = getenv("ATOM_SHELL_INTERNAL_RUN_AS_NODE");
+  if (node_indicator != NULL && strcmp(node_indicator, "1") == 0)
     // Convert argv to to UTF8
     char** argv = new char*[argc];
     for (int i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
@@ -57,8 +59,7 @@ int APIENTRY wWinMain(HINSTANCE instance, HINSTANCE, wchar_t* cmd, int) {
       }
     }
     // Now that conversion is done, we can finally start.
-    argv[1] = argv[0];
-    return node::Start(argc - 1, argv + 1);
+    return node::Start(argc, argv);
   }
 
   sandbox::SandboxInterfaceInfo sandbox_info = {0};
@@ -72,10 +73,9 @@ int APIENTRY wWinMain(HINSTANCE instance, HINSTANCE, wchar_t* cmd, int) {
 #include "app/atom_library_main.h"
 
 int main(int argc, const char* argv[]) {
-  if (argc > 1 && strcmp(argv[1], "--atom-child_process-fork") == 0) {
-    argv[1] = argv[0];
-    return node::Start(argc - 1, const_cast<char**>(argv + 1));
-  }
+  char* node_indicator = getenv("ATOM_SHELL_INTERNAL_RUN_AS_NODE");
+  if (node_indicator != NULL && strcmp(node_indicator, "1") == 0)
+    return node::Start(argc, const_cast<char**>(argv));
 
   return AtomMain(argc, argv);
 }
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/module/fork_ping.js b/spec/fixtures/module/fork_ping.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e6d3f921ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/module/fork_ping.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+process.on('uncaughtException', function(error) {
+  process.send(error.stack);
+});
+
+var child = require('child_process').fork(__dirname + '/ping.js');
+process.on('message', function(msg) {
+  child.send(msg);
+});
+child.on('message', function (msg) {
+  process.send(msg);
+});
diff --git a/spec/node/child_process.coffee b/spec/node/child_process.coffee
index 2246391b8c..6d0c1dbe5e 100644
--- a/spec/node/child_process.coffee
+++ b/spec/node/child_process.coffee
@@ -12,3 +12,19 @@ describe 'child_process', ->
         assert.equal msg, 'message'
         done()
       child.send 'message'
+
+    it 'should work in forked process', (done) ->
+      child = child_process.fork path.join(fixtures, 'module', 'fork_ping.js')
+      child.on 'message', (msg) ->
+        assert.equal msg, 'message'
+        done()
+      child.send 'message'
+
+    it 'should work in forked process when options.env is specifed', (done) ->
+      child = child_process.fork path.join(fixtures, 'module', 'fork_ping.js'),
+                                 [],
+                                 env: {test: 'somevar'}
+      child.on 'message', (msg) ->
+        assert.equal msg, 'message'
+        done()
+      child.send 'message'
diff --git a/vendor/node b/vendor/node
index de1afc6cc6..c2ecf615ac 160000
--- a/vendor/node
+++ b/vendor/node
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit de1afc6cc609ed37863b1b0e919357f96000c6c4
+Subproject commit c2ecf615ac2bb846a38ffa0b64e9ce0ff4f8953b