diff --git a/src/modules/wreck/job.c b/src/modules/wreck/job.c
index 15fdfbdc24ac..c8294342ab11 100644
--- a/src/modules/wreck/job.c
+++ b/src/modules/wreck/job.c
@@ -576,6 +576,7 @@ static void cmb_exec_cb (flux_future_t *f, void *arg)
     int64_t pid = 0;
     const char *type = NULL;
     const char *state = NULL;
+    int status = 1;
     const flux_msg_t *msg;
     flux_t *h = flux_future_get_flux (f);
     struct wreck_job *job = arg;
@@ -585,19 +586,16 @@ static void cmb_exec_cb (flux_future_t *f, void *arg)
         flux_future_destroy (f);
         return;
     }
-    if (flux_msg_unpack (msg, "{s?s,s?s,s:i}",
+    if (flux_msg_unpack (msg, "{s?s,s?s,s?i,s:i}",
                               "type", &type, "state", &state,
-                              "pid", &pid) < 0) {
+                              "status", &status, "pid", &pid) < 0) {
         flux_log_error (h, "cmb_exec_cb: flux_msg_unpack");
         flux_future_destroy (f);
     }
 
     if (type && strcmp (type, "io") == 0)
         spawn_io_cb (h, job, msg);
-    else if (strcmp (state, "Exited") == 0) {
-        int status = 1;
-        if (flux_msg_unpack (msg, "{s:i}", "status", &status) < 0)
-            flux_log_error (h, "spawn response: failed to unpack exit status");
+    else if (state && strcmp (state, "Exited") == 0) {
         if (WIFSIGNALED (status))
             flux_log_error (h, "job%ju: wrexecd: %s",
                                 (uintmax_t) job->id,