diff --git a/utils/mount/network.c b/utils/mount/network.c
index 4f8c15c..515249b 100644
--- a/utils/mount/network.c
+++ b/utils/mount/network.c
@@ -796,6 +796,8 @@ int start_statd(void)
 	if (stat(START_STATD, &stb) == 0) {
 		if (S_ISREG(stb.st_mode) && (stb.st_mode & S_IXUSR)) {
 			int cnt = STATD_TIMEOUT * 10;
+			int status = 0;
+			char * const envp[1] = { NULL };
 			const struct timespec ts = {
 				.tv_sec = 0,
 				.tv_nsec = 100000000,
@@ -803,14 +805,19 @@ int start_statd(void)
 			pid_t pid = fork();
 			switch (pid) {
 			case 0: /* child */
-				execl(START_STATD, START_STATD, NULL);
+				setgid(0);
+				setuid(0);
+				execle(START_STATD, START_STATD, NULL, envp);
 				exit(1);
 			case -1: /* error */
 				nfs_error(_("%s: fork failed: %s"),
 						progname, strerror(errno));
 				break;
 			default: /* parent */
-				waitpid(pid, NULL,0);
+				if (waitpid(pid, &status,0) == pid &&
+				    status == 0)
+					/* assume it worked */
+					return 1;
 				break;
 			}
 			while (1) {