diff --git a/lib/libc/gen/arc4random.c b/lib/libc/gen/arc4random.c
index 1c4d6eebe5fe..4294de02f47e 100644
--- a/lib/libc/gen/arc4random.c
+++ b/lib/libc/gen/arc4random.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/mman.h>
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ static pthread_mutex_t	arc4random_mtx = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 static int rs_initialized;
 static struct arc4_stream rs;
 static pid_t arc4_stir_pid;
-static int arc4_count;
+static int* arc4_count;
 
 extern int __sysctl(int *name, u_int namelen, void *oldp, size_t *oldlenp,
     void *newp, size_t newlen);
@@ -89,6 +90,12 @@ arc4_init(void)
 {
 	int     n;
 
+	if ((arc4_count = mmap(NULL, sizeof(int), PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE,
+	    MAP_ANON|MAP_PRIVATE, -1, 0)) == MAP_FAILED)
+		abort();
+	if (minherit(arc4_count, sizeof(int), INHERIT_ZERO) == -1)
+		abort();
+
 	for (n = 0; n < 256; n++)
 		rs.s[n] = n;
 	rs.i = 0;
@@ -162,7 +169,7 @@ arc4_stir(void)
 	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < 3072; i++)
 		(void)arc4_getbyte();
-	arc4_count = 1600000;
+	*arc4_count = 1600000;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -170,7 +177,8 @@ arc4_stir_if_needed(void)
 {
 	pid_t pid = getpid();
 
-	if (arc4_count <= 0 || !rs_initialized || arc4_stir_pid != pid) {
+	if (arc4_count == NULL || *arc4_count <= 0 || !rs_initialized ||
+	    arc4_stir_pid != pid) {
 		arc4_stir_pid = pid;
 		arc4_stir();
 	}
@@ -224,7 +232,8 @@ arc4random(void)
 {
 	u_int32_t val;
 	_ARC4_LOCK();
-	arc4_count -= 4;
+	if (arc4_count)
+		*arc4_count -= 4;
 	arc4_stir_if_needed();
 	val = arc4_getword();
 	_ARC4_UNLOCK();
@@ -238,7 +247,7 @@ arc4random_buf(void *_buf, size_t n)
 	_ARC4_LOCK();
 	arc4_stir_if_needed();
 	while (n--) {
-		if (--arc4_count <= 0)
+		if (--*arc4_count <= 0)
 			arc4_stir();
 		buf[n] = arc4_getbyte();
 	}