diff --git a/src/os/exec/exec_windows_test.go b/src/os/exec/exec_windows_test.go
index fbccffec0e9..bd4dfb31da5 100644
--- a/src/os/exec/exec_windows_test.go
+++ b/src/os/exec/exec_windows_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ package exec_test
 import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"strconv"
 	"syscall"
 	"testing"
@@ -41,3 +42,16 @@ func TestPipePassing(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestNoInheritHandles(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := exec.Command("cmd", "/c exit 88")
+	cmd.SysProcAttr = &syscall.SysProcAttr{NoInheritHandles: true}
+	err := cmd.Run()
+	exitError, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("got error %v; want ExitError", err)
+	}
+	if exitError.ExitCode() != 88 {
+		t.Fatalf("got exit code %d; want 88", exitError.ExitCode())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/syscall/exec_windows.go b/src/syscall/exec_windows.go
index 18d15028c3d..9d10d6a5127 100644
--- a/src/syscall/exec_windows.go
+++ b/src/syscall/exec_windows.go
@@ -390,8 +390,10 @@ func StartProcess(argv0 string, argv []string, attr *ProcAttr) (pid int, handle
 	}
 	fd = fd[:j]
 
+	willInheritHandles := len(fd) > 0 && !sys.NoInheritHandles
+
 	// Do not accidentally inherit more than these handles.
-	if len(fd) > 0 {
+	if willInheritHandles {
 		err = updateProcThreadAttribute(si.ProcThreadAttributeList, 0, _PROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_HANDLE_LIST, unsafe.Pointer(&fd[0]), uintptr(len(fd))*unsafe.Sizeof(fd[0]), nil, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			return 0, 0, err
@@ -401,9 +403,9 @@ func StartProcess(argv0 string, argv []string, attr *ProcAttr) (pid int, handle
 	pi := new(ProcessInformation)
 	flags := sys.CreationFlags | CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT | _EXTENDED_STARTUPINFO_PRESENT
 	if sys.Token != 0 {
-		err = CreateProcessAsUser(sys.Token, argv0p, argvp, sys.ProcessAttributes, sys.ThreadAttributes, len(fd) > 0 && !sys.NoInheritHandles, flags, createEnvBlock(attr.Env), dirp, &si.StartupInfo, pi)
+		err = CreateProcessAsUser(sys.Token, argv0p, argvp, sys.ProcessAttributes, sys.ThreadAttributes, willInheritHandles, flags, createEnvBlock(attr.Env), dirp, &si.StartupInfo, pi)
 	} else {
-		err = CreateProcess(argv0p, argvp, sys.ProcessAttributes, sys.ThreadAttributes, len(fd) > 0 && !sys.NoInheritHandles, flags, createEnvBlock(attr.Env), dirp, &si.StartupInfo, pi)
+		err = CreateProcess(argv0p, argvp, sys.ProcessAttributes, sys.ThreadAttributes, willInheritHandles, flags, createEnvBlock(attr.Env), dirp, &si.StartupInfo, pi)
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, 0, err