diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/vfs.h b/headers/private/kernel/vfs.h
index 9065d4f712..1e2696a69d 100644
--- a/headers/private/kernel/vfs.h
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/vfs.h
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ typedef struct io_context {
 	struct list node_monitors;
 	uint32		num_monitors;
 	uint32		max_monitors;
-	bool		inherit_fds;
 } io_context;
 
 
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp b/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
index 066a99f774..675a1827be 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
@@ -4968,35 +4968,34 @@ vfs_new_io_context(const io_context* parentContext, bool purgeCloseOnExec)
 	if (parentContext != NULL) {
 		mutex_lock(&sIOContextRootLock);
 		context->root = parentContext->root;
-		if (context->root)
+		if (context->root != NULL)
 			inc_vnode_ref_count(context->root);
 		mutex_unlock(&sIOContextRootLock);
 
 		context->cwd = parentContext->cwd;
-		if (context->cwd)
+		if (context->cwd != NULL)
 			inc_vnode_ref_count(context->cwd);
 
-		if (parentContext->inherit_fds) {
-			for (size_t i = 0; i < tableSize; i++) {
-				struct file_descriptor* descriptor = parentContext->fds[i];
-
-				if (descriptor != NULL
-						&& (descriptor->open_mode & O_DISCONNECTED) == 0) {
-					const bool closeOnExec = fd_close_on_exec(parentContext, i);
-					if (closeOnExec && purgeCloseOnExec)
-						continue;
-
-					TFD(InheritFD(context, i, descriptor, parentContext));
-
-					context->fds[i] = descriptor;
-					context->num_used_fds++;
-					atomic_add(&descriptor->ref_count, 1);
-					atomic_add(&descriptor->open_count, 1);
-
-					if (closeOnExec)
-						fd_set_close_on_exec(context, i, true);
-				}
+		for (size_t i = 0; i < tableSize; i++) {
+			struct file_descriptor* descriptor = parentContext->fds[i];
+			if (descriptor == NULL
+					|| (descriptor->open_mode & O_DISCONNECTED) != 0) {
+				continue;
 			}
+
+			const bool closeOnExec = fd_close_on_exec(parentContext, i);
+			if (closeOnExec && purgeCloseOnExec)
+				continue;
+
+			TFD(InheritFD(context, i, descriptor, parentContext));
+
+			context->fds[i] = descriptor;
+			context->num_used_fds++;
+			atomic_add(&descriptor->ref_count, 1);
+			atomic_add(&descriptor->open_count, 1);
+
+			if (closeOnExec)
+				fd_set_close_on_exec(context, i, true);
 		}
 
 		parentLocker.Unlock();
@@ -5012,7 +5011,6 @@ vfs_new_io_context(const io_context* parentContext, bool purgeCloseOnExec)
 	}
 
 	context->table_size = tableSize;
-	context->inherit_fds = parentContext != NULL;
 
 	list_init(&context->node_monitors);
 	context->max_monitors = DEFAULT_NODE_MONITORS;
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/team.cpp b/src/system/kernel/team.cpp
index b7d4e25ae5..b934792563 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/team.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/team.cpp
@@ -1788,8 +1788,9 @@ load_image_internal(char**& _flatArgs, size_t flatArgsSize, int32 argCount,
 	inherit_parent_user_and_group(team, parent);
 
 	// get a reference to the parent's I/O context -- we need it to create ours
-	parentIOContext = parent->io_context;
-	vfs_get_io_context(parentIOContext);
+	parentIOContext = (parent->id == B_SYSTEM_TEAM) ? NULL : parent->io_context;
+	if (parentIOContext != NULL)
+		vfs_get_io_context(parentIOContext);
 
 	team->Unlock();
 	parent->UnlockTeamAndProcessGroup();
@@ -1808,18 +1809,18 @@ load_image_internal(char**& _flatArgs, size_t flatArgsSize, int32 argCount,
 	team->SetArgs(path, teamArgs->flat_args + 1, argCount - 1);
 
 	// create a new io_context for this team
+	// remove any fds that have the CLOEXEC flag set (emulating BeOS behaviour)
 	team->io_context = vfs_new_io_context(parentIOContext, true);
-	if (!team->io_context) {
+	if (team->io_context == NULL) {
 		status = B_NO_MEMORY;
 		goto err2;
 	}
 
-	// We don't need the parent's I/O context any longer.
-	vfs_put_io_context(parentIOContext);
-	parentIOContext = NULL;
-
-	// remove any fds that have the CLOEXEC flag set (emulating BeOS behaviour)
-	vfs_exec_io_context(team->io_context);
+	if (parentIOContext != NULL) {
+		// We don't need the parent's I/O context any longer.
+		vfs_put_io_context(parentIOContext);
+		parentIOContext = NULL;
+	}
 
 	// create an address space for this team
 	status = VMAddressSpace::Create(team->id, USER_BASE, USER_SIZE, false,