diff --git a/common/exechelp-posix.c b/common/exechelp-posix.c
index b29e2f124..af79aab3e 100644
--- a/common/exechelp-posix.c
+++ b/common/exechelp-posix.c
@@ -1114,14 +1114,7 @@ void
 gnupg_spawn_helper (struct spawn_cb_arg *sca)
 {
   int *user_except = sca->arg;
-#ifdef HAVE_W32_SYSTEM
-  if (user_except[0] == -1)
-    sca->ask_inherit = 0;
-  else
-    sca->ask_inherit = 1;
-#else
   sca->except_fds = user_except;
-#endif
 }
 
 gpg_err_code_t
diff --git a/common/exechelp-w32.c b/common/exechelp-w32.c
index 219b7fe75..adde71862 100644
--- a/common/exechelp-w32.c
+++ b/common/exechelp-w32.c
@@ -1202,6 +1202,17 @@ spawn_detached (gnupg_process_t process,
 }
 
 
+void
+gnupg_spawn_helper (struct spawn_cb_arg *sca)
+{
+  int *user_except = sca->arg;
+
+  if (user_except[0] == -1)
+    sca->ask_inherit = 0;
+  else
+    sca->ask_inherit = 1;
+}
+
 gpg_err_code_t
 gnupg_process_spawn (const char *pgmname, const char *argv[],
                      unsigned int flags,