diff --git a/common/exechelp-posix.c b/common/exechelp-posix.c
index d90b4e8c7..3f124ab80 100644
--- a/common/exechelp-posix.c
+++ b/common/exechelp-posix.c
@@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ gnupg_process_release (gnupg_process_t process)
   if (!process)
     return;
 
-  if (process->terminated)
+  if (!process->terminated)
     {
       gnupg_process_terminate (process);
       gnupg_process_wait (process, 1);
diff --git a/common/exechelp-w32.c b/common/exechelp-w32.c
index 08290e442..d1764d1f6 100644
--- a/common/exechelp-w32.c
+++ b/common/exechelp-w32.c
@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@ gnupg_process_release (gnupg_process_t process)
   if (!process)
     return;
 
-  if (process->terminated)
+  if (!process->terminated)
     {
       gnupg_process_terminate (process);
       gnupg_process_wait (process, 1);