--- bash/jobs.c.orig	Wed Jun 20 00:02:39 2007
+++ bash/jobs.c	Sun Sep 16 23:29:41 2007
@@ -1611,6 +1611,7 @@
 {
   sigset_t set, oset;
   pid_t pid;
+  unsigned int forksleep;
 
   sigemptyset (&set);
   sigaddset (&set, SIGCHLD);
@@ -1631,9 +1632,16 @@
 #endif /* BUFFERED_INPUT */
 
   /* Create the child, handle severe errors. */
-  if ((pid = fork ()) < 0)
+  forksleep = 1;
+  while ((pid = fork ()) < 0 && errno == EAGAIN && forksleep < 32)
     {
-      sys_error ("fork");
+      if (sleep (forksleep)) break; /* break on signals, e.g. ^C */
+      forksleep <<= 1;
+    }
+
+  if (pid < 0)
+    {
+      sys_error ("fork");
 
       /* Kill all of the processes in the current pipeline. */
       terminate_current_pipeline ();