diff --git a/src/openvpn/init.c b/src/openvpn/init.c
index 6fb6900de67..80c1b2e6a32 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/init.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/init.c
@@ -4457,9 +4457,6 @@ init_instance(struct context *c, const struct env_set *env, const unsigned int f
         do_inherit_env(c, env);
     }
 
-    /* signals caught here will abort */
-    signal_reset(c->sig);
-
     if (c->mode == CM_P2P)
     {
         init_management_callback_p2p(c);
diff --git a/src/openvpn/multi.c b/src/openvpn/multi.c
index aad11b1d269..0d4e6f999fd 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/multi.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/multi.c
@@ -3846,7 +3846,7 @@ multi_push_restart_schedule_exit(struct multi_context *m, bool next_server)
                        &m->deferred_shutdown_signal.wakeup,
                        compute_wakeup_sigma(&m->deferred_shutdown_signal.wakeup));
 
-    signal_reset(m->top.sig);
+    signal_reset(m->top.sig, 0);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -3856,12 +3856,11 @@ multi_push_restart_schedule_exit(struct multi_context *m, bool next_server)
 bool
 multi_process_signal(struct multi_context *m)
 {
-    if (m->top.sig->signal_received == SIGUSR2)
+    if (signal_reset(m->top.sig, SIGUSR2) == SIGUSR2)
     {
         struct status_output *so = status_open(NULL, 0, M_INFO, NULL, 0);
         multi_print_status(m, so, m->status_file_version);
         status_close(so);
-        signal_reset(m->top.sig);
         return false;
     }
     else if (proto_is_dgram(m->top.options.ce.proto)
diff --git a/src/openvpn/openvpn.c b/src/openvpn/openvpn.c
index 348392e2b95..874facf68de 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/openvpn.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/openvpn.c
@@ -192,7 +192,6 @@ openvpn_main(int argc, char *argv[])
             context_clear_all_except_first_time(&c);
 
             /* static signal info object */
-            CLEAR(siginfo_static);
             c.sig = &siginfo_static;
 
             /* initialize garbage collector scoped to context object */
@@ -333,14 +332,14 @@ openvpn_main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 /* pass restart status to management subsystem */
                 signal_restart_status(c.sig);
             }
-            while (c.sig->signal_received == SIGUSR1);
+            while (signal_reset(c.sig, SIGUSR1) == SIGUSR1);
 
             env_set_destroy(c.es);
             uninit_options(&c.options);
             gc_reset(&c.gc);
             uninit_early(&c);
         }
-        while (c.sig->signal_received == SIGHUP);
+        while (signal_reset(c.sig, SIGHUP) == SIGHUP);
     }
 
     context_gc_free(&c);
diff --git a/src/openvpn/sig.c b/src/openvpn/sig.c
index dae6350ca95..7f13c6cdf25 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/sig.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/sig.c
@@ -257,15 +257,37 @@ register_signal(struct signal_info *si, int signum, const char *signal_text)
     }
 }
 
-void
-signal_reset(struct signal_info *si)
+/**
+ * Clear the signal if its current value equals signum. If
+ * signum is zero the signal is cleared independent of its current
+ * value. Returns the current value of the signal.
+ */
+int
+signal_reset(struct signal_info *si, int signum)
 {
+    int sig_saved = 0;
     if (si)
     {
-        si->signal_received = 0;
-        si->signal_text = NULL;
-        si->source = SIG_SOURCE_SOFT;
+        if (si == &siginfo_static) /* attempting to alter the global signal */
+        {
+            block_async_signals();
+        }
+
+        sig_saved = si->signal_received;
+        if (!signum || sig_saved == signum)
+        {
+            si->signal_received = 0;
+            si->signal_text = NULL;
+            si->source = SIG_SOURCE_SOFT;
+            msg(D_SIGNAL_DEBUG, "signal_reset: signal %s is cleared", signal_name(signum, true));
+        }
+
+        if (si == &siginfo_static)
+        {
+            unblock_async_signals();
+        }
     }
+    return sig_saved;
 }
 
 void
@@ -395,6 +417,10 @@ pre_init_signal_catch(void)
     sigaction(SIGUSR2, &sa, NULL);
     sigaction(SIGPIPE, &sa, NULL);
 #endif /* _WIN32 */
+    /* clear any pending signals of the ignored type */
+    signal_reset(&siginfo_static, SIGUSR1);
+    signal_reset(&siginfo_static, SIGUSR2);
+    signal_reset(&siginfo_static, SIGHUP);
 }
 
 void
@@ -522,7 +548,7 @@ process_explicit_exit_notification_init(struct context *c)
      * will be ignored during the exit notification period.
      */
     halt_low_priority_signals(); /* Set hard SIGUSR1/SIGHUP/SIGUSR2 to be ignored */
-    signal_reset(c->sig);
+    signal_reset(c->sig, 0);
 
     c->c2.explicit_exit_notification_time_wait = now;
 
@@ -573,7 +599,7 @@ process_sigusr2(struct context *c)
     struct status_output *so = status_open(NULL, 0, M_INFO, NULL, 0);
     print_status(c, so);
     status_close(so);
-    signal_reset(c->sig);
+    signal_reset(c->sig, SIGUSR2);
 }
 
 static bool
diff --git a/src/openvpn/sig.h b/src/openvpn/sig.h
index b09dfab6cb6..54c599509a8 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/sig.h
+++ b/src/openvpn/sig.h
@@ -81,7 +81,12 @@ void register_signal(struct signal_info *si, int sig, const char *text);
 
 void process_explicit_exit_notification_timer_wakeup(struct context *c);
 
-void signal_reset(struct signal_info *si);
+/**
+ * Clear the signal if its current value equals signum. If signum is
+ * zero the signal is cleared independent of its current value.
+ * @returns the current value of the signal.
+ */
+int signal_reset(struct signal_info *si, int signum);
 
 static inline void
 halt_non_edge_triggered_signals(void)
diff --git a/src/openvpn/socket.c b/src/openvpn/socket.c
index 2d765cc3484..501e023ea36 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/socket.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/socket.c
@@ -565,12 +565,11 @@ openvpn_getaddrinfo(unsigned int flags,
                 if (sig_info->signal_received) /* were we interrupted by a signal? */
                 {
                     /* why are we overwriting SIGUSR1 ? */
-                    if (sig_info->signal_received == SIGUSR1) /* ignore SIGUSR1 */
+                    if (signal_reset(sig_info, SIGUSR1) == SIGUSR1) /* ignore SIGUSR1 */
                     {
                         msg(level,
                             "RESOLVE: Ignored SIGUSR1 signal received during "
                             "DNS resolution attempt");
-                        signal_reset(sig_info);
                     }
                     else
                     {
@@ -2179,7 +2178,7 @@ link_socket_init_phase2(struct context *c)
     if (sig_info->signal_received)
     {
         sig_save = *sig_info;
-        signal_reset(sig_info);
+        sig_save.signal_received = signal_reset(sig_info, 0);
     }
 
     /* initialize buffers */
diff --git a/src/openvpn/win32.c b/src/openvpn/win32.c
index 156ee746710..47eb1fc2095 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/win32.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/win32.c
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ win32_signal_get(struct win32_signal *ws)
     }
     if (ret)
     {
-        throw_signal(ret); /* this will update signinfo_static.signal received */
+        throw_signal(ret); /* this will update siginfo_static.signal received */
     }
     return (siginfo_static.signal_received);
 }