diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
index 7a952e2ba69..040b46e66a0 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class ForkServer(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self._forkserver_address = None
         self._forkserver_alive_fd = None
+        self._forkserver_pid = None
         self._inherited_fds = None
         self._lock = threading.Lock()
         self._preload_modules = ['__main__']
@@ -90,8 +91,17 @@ class ForkServer(object):
         '''
         with self._lock:
             semaphore_tracker.ensure_running()
-            if self._forkserver_alive_fd is not None:
-                return
+            if self._forkserver_pid is not None:
+                # forkserver was launched before, is it still running?
+                pid, status = os.waitpid(self._forkserver_pid, os.WNOHANG)
+                if not pid:
+                    # still alive
+                    return
+                # dead, launch it again
+                os.close(self._forkserver_alive_fd)
+                self._forkserver_address = None
+                self._forkserver_alive_fd = None
+                self._forkserver_pid = None
 
             cmd = ('from multiprocessing.forkserver import main; ' +
                    'main(%d, %d, %r, **%r)')
@@ -127,6 +137,7 @@ class ForkServer(object):
                     os.close(alive_r)
                 self._forkserver_address = address
                 self._forkserver_alive_fd = alive_w
+                self._forkserver_pid = pid
 
 #
 #
@@ -157,11 +168,11 @@ def main(listener_fd, alive_r, preload, main_path=None, sys_path=None):
         # Dummy signal handler, doesn't do anything
         pass
 
-    # letting SIGINT through avoids KeyboardInterrupt tracebacks
-    # unblocking SIGCHLD allows the wakeup fd to notify our event loop
     handlers = {
+        # unblocking SIGCHLD allows the wakeup fd to notify our event loop
         signal.SIGCHLD: sigchld_handler,
-        signal.SIGINT: signal.SIG_DFL,
+        # protect the process from ^C
+        signal.SIGINT: signal.SIG_IGN,
         }
     old_handlers = {sig: signal.signal(sig, val)
                     for (sig, val) in handlers.items()}
diff --git a/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py b/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
index 69c0bd892c8..799146d8a3f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
+++ b/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
@@ -603,6 +603,54 @@ class _TestProcess(BaseTestCase):
                 finally:
                     setattr(sys, stream_name, old_stream)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _sleep_and_set_event(self, evt, delay=0.0):
+        time.sleep(delay)
+        evt.set()
+
+    def check_forkserver_death(self, signum):
+        # bpo-31308: if the forkserver process has died, we should still
+        # be able to create and run new Process instances (the forkserver
+        # is implicitly restarted).
+        if self.TYPE == 'threads':
+            self.skipTest('test not appropriate for {}'.format(self.TYPE))
+        sm = multiprocessing.get_start_method()
+        if sm != 'forkserver':
+            # The fork method by design inherits all fds from the parent,
+            # trying to go against it is a lost battle
+            self.skipTest('test not appropriate for {}'.format(sm))
+
+        from multiprocessing.forkserver import _forkserver
+        _forkserver.ensure_running()
+
+        evt = self.Event()
+        proc = self.Process(target=self._sleep_and_set_event, args=(evt, 1.0))
+        proc.start()
+
+        pid = _forkserver._forkserver_pid
+        os.kill(pid, signum)
+        time.sleep(1.0)  # give it time to die
+
+        evt2 = self.Event()
+        proc2 = self.Process(target=self._sleep_and_set_event, args=(evt2,))
+        proc2.start()
+        proc2.join()
+        self.assertTrue(evt2.is_set())
+        self.assertEqual(proc2.exitcode, 0)
+
+        proc.join()
+        self.assertTrue(evt.is_set())
+        self.assertIn(proc.exitcode, (0, 255))
+
+    def test_forkserver_sigint(self):
+        # Catchable signal
+        self.check_forkserver_death(signal.SIGINT)
+
+    def test_forkserver_sigkill(self):
+        # Uncatchable signal
+        if os.name != 'nt':
+            self.check_forkserver_death(signal.SIGKILL)
+
 
 #
 #
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-08-30-17-59-36.bpo-31308.KbexyC.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-08-30-17-59-36.bpo-31308.KbexyC.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6068b7fd32e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-08-30-17-59-36.bpo-31308.KbexyC.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Make multiprocessing's forkserver process immune to Ctrl-C and other user interruptions.
+If it crashes, restart it when necessary.