diff --git a/assuan/README.1st b/assuan/README.1st
index 7b6074ff..6e8d4ec8 100644
--- a/assuan/README.1st
+++ b/assuan/README.1st
@@ -20,3 +20,6 @@ updating this directory, are:
 
 * assuan-io.c
 ** Don't try to support GNU Pth here.
+
+* assuan-pipe-connect.c
+** Do not install SIGPIPE signal handler here.
diff --git a/assuan/assuan-pipe-connect.c b/assuan/assuan-pipe-connect.c
index d30c106b..a3ddc224 100644
--- a/assuan/assuan-pipe-connect.c
+++ b/assuan/assuan-pipe-connect.c
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@ AssuanError
 assuan_pipe_connect (ASSUAN_CONTEXT *ctx, const char *name, char *const argv[],
 		     int *fd_child_list)
 {
+#ifndef _ASSUAN_IN_GPGME
   static int fixed_signals = 0;
+#endif
   AssuanError err;
   int rp[2];
   int wp[2];
@@ -110,6 +112,7 @@ assuan_pipe_connect (ASSUAN_CONTEXT *ctx, const char *name, char *const argv[],
   if (!ctx || !name || !argv || !argv[0])
     return ASSUAN_Invalid_Value;
 
+#ifndef _ASSUAN_IN_GPGME
   if (!fixed_signals)
     { 
       struct sigaction act;
@@ -125,6 +128,7 @@ assuan_pipe_connect (ASSUAN_CONTEXT *ctx, const char *name, char *const argv[],
       fixed_signals = 1;
       /* FIXME: This is not MT safe */
     }
+#endif
 
   if (pipe (rp) < 0)
     return ASSUAN_General_Error;
diff --git a/doc/ChangeLog b/doc/ChangeLog
index de523fea..0064e2d2 100644
--- a/doc/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2003-10-06  Marcus Brinkmann  <marcus@g10code.de>
+
+	* gpgme.texi (Signal Handling): New section.
+
 2003-09-14  Marcus Brinkmann  <marcus@g10code.de>
 
 	* gpgme.texi (Multi Threading): Correct documentation on memory
diff --git a/doc/gpgme.texi b/doc/gpgme.texi
index c76916e3..48094548 100644
--- a/doc/gpgme.texi
+++ b/doc/gpgme.texi
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ Preparation
 * Using Automake::                Compiler options to be used the easy way.
 * Using Libtool::                 Avoiding compiler options entirely.
 * Library Version Check::         Getting and verifying the library version.
+* Signal Handling::               How @acronym{GPGME} affects signal handling.
 * Multi Threading::               How @acronym{GPGME} can be used in an MT environment.
 
 Protocols and Engines
@@ -322,6 +323,7 @@ of the library are verified.
 * Using Automake::                Compiler options to be used the easy way.
 * Using Libtool::                 Avoiding compiler options entirely.
 * Library Version Check::         Getting and verifying the library version.
+* Signal Handling::               How @acronym{GPGME} affects signal handling.
 * Multi Threading::               How @acronym{GPGME} can be used in an MT environment.
 @end menu
 
@@ -518,6 +520,34 @@ like this.  @acronym{GPGME} can not do this for you because it would
 not be thread safe.
 
 
+@node Signal Handling
+@section Signal Handling
+@cindex signals
+@cindex signal handling
+
+The @acronym{GPGME} library communicates with child processes (the
+crypto engines).  If a child process dies unexpectedly, for example
+due to a bug, or system problem, a @code{SIGPIPE} signal will be
+delivered to the application.  The default action is to abort the
+program.  To protect against this, @code{gpgme_check_version} sets the
+@code{SIGPIPE} signal action to @code{SIG_IGN}, which means that the
+signal will be ignored.
+
+@acronym{GPGME} will only do that if the signal action for
+@code{SIGPIPE} is @code{SIG_DEF} at the time
+@code{gpgme_check_version} is called.  If it is something different,
+@code{GPGME} will take no action.
+
+This means that if your application does not install any signal
+handler for @code{SIGPIPE}, you don't need to take any precautions.
+If you do install a signal handler for @code{SIGPIPE}, you must be
+prepared to handle any @code{SIGPIPE} events that occur due to
+@acronym{GPGME} writing to a defunct pipe.  Furthermore, if your
+application is multi-threaded, and you install a signal action for
+@code{SIGPIPE}, you must make sure you do this either before
+@code{gpgme_check_version} is called or afterwards.
+
+
 @node Multi Threading
 @section Multi Threading
 @cindex thread-safeness
diff --git a/gpgme/ChangeLog b/gpgme/ChangeLog
index 18552f67..d2b82bd5 100644
--- a/gpgme/ChangeLog
+++ b/gpgme/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 2003-10-06  Marcus Brinkmann  <marcus@g10code.de>
 
+	* io.h (_gpgme_io_subsystem_init): New prototype.
+	* posix-io.c (_gpgme_io_subsystem_init): Add function.
+	(_gpgme_io_spawn): Do not fixup signal handler here.
+	* version.c (do_subsystem_inits): Call _gpgme_io_subsystem_init.
+
 	* debug.c (debug_init): Drop const qualifier from E.
 
 	* ath.h (struct ath_ops): Make ADDR argument of CONNECT prototype
diff --git a/gpgme/io.h b/gpgme/io.h
index cb09969f..9cc5eb25 100644
--- a/gpgme/io.h
+++ b/gpgme/io.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ struct io_select_fd_s
 };
 
 /* These function are either defined in posix-io.c or w32-io.c.  */
+void _gpgme_io_subsystem_init (void);
 int _gpgme_io_read (int fd, void *buffer, size_t count);
 int _gpgme_io_write (int fd, const void *buffer, size_t count);
 int _gpgme_io_pipe (int filedes[2], int inherit_idx);
diff --git a/gpgme/posix-io.c b/gpgme/posix-io.c
index 5034468d..5c9baaca 100644
--- a/gpgme/posix-io.c
+++ b/gpgme/posix-io.c
@@ -39,6 +39,23 @@
 #include "ath.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 
+
+void
+_gpgme_io_subsystem_init (void)
+{
+  struct sigaction act;
+
+  sigaction (SIGPIPE, NULL, &act);
+  if (act.sa_handler == SIG_DFL)
+    {
+      act.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
+      sigemptyset (&act.sa_mask);
+      act.sa_flags = 0;
+      sigaction (SIGPIPE, &act, NULL);
+    }
+}
+
+
 static struct
 {
   void (*handler) (int,void*);
@@ -162,27 +179,9 @@ _gpgme_io_spawn (const char *path, char **argv,
 		 struct spawn_fd_item_s *fd_child_list,
 		 struct spawn_fd_item_s *fd_parent_list)
 {
-  static int fixed_signals;
-  DEFINE_STATIC_LOCK (fixed_signals_lock);
   pid_t pid;
   int i;
   int status, signo;
-  LOCK (fixed_signals_lock);
-  if (!fixed_signals)
-    { 
-      struct sigaction act;
-        
-      sigaction (SIGPIPE, NULL, &act);
-      if (act.sa_handler == SIG_DFL)
-	{
-	  act.sa_handler = SIG_IGN;
-	  sigemptyset (&act.sa_mask);
-	  act.sa_flags = 0;
-	  sigaction (SIGPIPE, &act, NULL);
-        }
-      fixed_signals = 1;
-    }
-  UNLOCK (fixed_signals_lock);
 
   pid = fork ();
   if (pid == -1) 
diff --git a/gpgme/version.c b/gpgme/version.c
index d64e67a3..e2c4ef81 100644
--- a/gpgme/version.c
+++ b/gpgme/version.c
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ do_subsystem_inits (void)
     return;
 
   _gpgme_sema_subsystem_init ();
+  _gpgme_io_subsystem_init ();
+
   done = 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/ChangeLog b/tests/ChangeLog
index 01256675..e48dd6f2 100644
--- a/tests/ChangeLog
+++ b/tests/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2003-10-06  Marcus Brinkmann  <marcus@g10code.de>
+
+	* gpg/t-thread1.c (thread_one): Do not call initialize_gpgme.
+	Likewise.
+
 2003-09-14  Marcus Brinkmann  <marcus@g10code.de>
 
 	* gpg/t-thread1.c (main): Call init_gpgme here.
diff --git a/tests/gpg/t-thread1.c b/tests/gpg/t-thread1.c
index 4c003b12..50549746 100644
--- a/tests/gpg/t-thread1.c
+++ b/tests/gpg/t-thread1.c
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ thread_one (void *name)
 {
   int i;
 
-  initialize_gpgme ();
-
   for (i = 0; i < ROUNDS; i++)
     {
       gpgme_ctx_t ctx;
@@ -89,7 +87,6 @@ void *
 thread_two (void *name)
 {
   int i;
-  initialize_gpgme ();
   const char *cipher_1_asc = make_filename ("cipher-1.asc");
   char *agent_info;
 
@@ -143,7 +140,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   init_gpgme (GPGME_PROTOCOL_OpenPGP);
 
   pthread_create (&tone, NULL, thread_one, "A");
-  pthread_create (&ttwo, NULL, thread_two, "A");
+  pthread_create (&ttwo, NULL, thread_two, "B");
 
   pthread_join (tone, NULL);
   pthread_join (ttwo, NULL);