diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index 77b9ff35ff..364f908158 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ const {
 
 const MAX_BUFFER = 1024 * 1024;
 
+const isZOS = process.platform === 'os390';
+
 /**
  * Spawns a new Node.js process + fork.
  * @param {string|URL} modulePath
@@ -514,6 +516,14 @@ ObjectDefineProperty(execFile, promisify.custom, {
   value: customPromiseExecFunction(execFile)
 });
 
+function copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, name, optionEnv) {
+  if (process.env[name] &&
+      (!optionEnv ||
+       !ObjectPrototypeHasOwnProperty(optionEnv, name))) {
+    env[name] = process.env[name];
+  }
+}
+
 function normalizeSpawnArguments(file, args, options) {
   validateString(file, 'file');
 
@@ -620,9 +630,19 @@ function normalizeSpawnArguments(file, args, options) {
 
   // process.env.NODE_V8_COVERAGE always propagates, making it possible to
   // collect coverage for programs that spawn with white-listed environment.
-  if (process.env.NODE_V8_COVERAGE &&
-      !ObjectPrototypeHasOwnProperty(options.env || {}, 'NODE_V8_COVERAGE')) {
-    env.NODE_V8_COVERAGE = process.env.NODE_V8_COVERAGE;
+  copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, 'NODE_V8_COVERAGE', options.env);
+
+  if (isZOS) {
+    // The following environment variables must always propagate if set.
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, '_BPXK_AUTOCVT', options.env);
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, '_CEE_RUNOPTS', options.env);
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, '_TAG_REDIR_ERR', options.env);
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, '_TAG_REDIR_IN', options.env);
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, '_TAG_REDIR_OUT', options.env);
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, 'STEPLIB', options.env);
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, 'LIBPATH', options.env);
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, '_EDC_SIG_DFLT', options.env);
+    copyProcessEnvToEnv(env, '_EDC_SUSV3', options.env);
   }
 
   let envKeys = [];