diff --git a/usr.bin/tip/tip/tipout.c b/usr.bin/tip/tip/tipout.c
index 4d6b56524c2..3464dd583b7 100644
--- a/usr.bin/tip/tip/tipout.c
+++ b/usr.bin/tip/tip/tipout.c
@@ -137,12 +137,14 @@ tipout()
 				intTERM();
 				/*NOTREACHED*/
 			} else if (cnt == 0 && errno == ENOENT) {
-				kill(getppid(),SIGUSR1);
+				if (getppid() != 1)
+					kill(getppid(),SIGUSR1);
 				sigblock(sigmask(SIGTERM));
 				intTERM();
 				/*NOTREACHED*/
 			} else if (cnt < 0) {
-				kill(getppid(),SIGUSR1);
+				if (getppid() != 1)
+					kill(getppid(),SIGUSR1);
 				sigblock(sigmask(SIGTERM));
 				intTERM();
 				/*NOTREACHED*/