diff --git a/arch/alpha/kernel/process.c b/arch/alpha/kernel/process.c
index b483156698d5..60c17b9bf04d 100644
--- a/arch/alpha/kernel/process.c
+++ b/arch/alpha/kernel/process.c
@@ -265,12 +265,13 @@ copy_thread(unsigned long clone_flags, unsigned long usp,
 	   application calling fork.  */
 	if (clone_flags & CLONE_SETTLS)
 		childti->pcb.unique = regs->r20;
+	else
+		regs->r20 = 0;	/* OSF/1 has some strange fork() semantics.  */
 	childti->pcb.usp = usp ?: rdusp();
 	*childregs = *regs;
 	childregs->r0 = 0;
 	childregs->r19 = 0;
 	childregs->r20 = 1;	/* OSF/1 has some strange fork() semantics.  */
-	regs->r20 = 0;
 	stack = ((struct switch_stack *) regs) - 1;
 	*childstack = *stack;
 	childstack->r26 = (unsigned long) ret_from_fork;