diff --git a/src/test/util_tests.cpp b/src/test/util_tests.cpp
--- a/src/test/util_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/util_tests.cpp
@@ -1279,7 +1279,12 @@
                 break;
             case ExitCommand:
                 close(fd);
-                exit(0);
+                // As an alternative to exit() which runs the exit handlers,
+                // just vanish this process as fast as possible. This also stops
+                // valgrind from looking into this uninteresting subprocess.
+                // (quick_exit() would also work, but it triggers a spurious
+                // glibc-valgrind error in pre-3.15 versions.)
+                execlp("true", (char *)NULL);
             default:
                 assert(0);
         }