diff --git a/scripts/zmdc.pl.in b/scripts/zmdc.pl.in
index 23fe8f701..e7198fdd7 100644
--- a/scripts/zmdc.pl.in
+++ b/scripts/zmdc.pl.in
@@ -529,6 +529,7 @@ sub kill_until_dead {
           .". Sending KILL to pid $$process{pid}\n"
           );
       kill( 'KILL', $$process{pid} );
+      last;
     }
 
     sigprocmask(SIG_UNBLOCK, $blockset) or die "dying at unblock...\n";