diff --git a/fish-rust/src/builtins/bg.rs b/fish-rust/src/builtins/bg.rs
index b6688faa6..acac4d8d8 100644
--- a/fish-rust/src/builtins/bg.rs
+++ b/fish-rust/src/builtins/bg.rs
@@ -36,10 +36,7 @@ fn send_to_bg(
         job.command().from_ffi()
     ));
 
-    unsafe {
-        std::mem::transmute::<&ffi::job_group_t, &crate::job_group::JobGroup>(job.ffi_group())
-    }
-    .set_is_foreground(false);
+    job.get_job_group().set_is_foreground(false);
 
     if !job.ffi_resume() {
         return STATUS_CMD_ERROR;
diff --git a/fish-rust/src/ffi.rs b/fish-rust/src/ffi.rs
index f6a3392db..55fd59dfd 100644
--- a/fish-rust/src/ffi.rs
+++ b/fish-rust/src/ffi.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use ::std::pin::Pin;
 #[rustfmt::skip]
 use ::std::slice;
 use crate::env::{EnvMode, EnvStackRef, EnvStackRefFFI};
+use crate::job_group::JobGroup;
 pub use crate::wait_handle::{
     WaitHandleRef, WaitHandleRefFFI, WaitHandleStore, WaitHandleStoreFFI,
 };
@@ -150,6 +151,8 @@ include_cpp! {
     generate!("make_autoload_ffi")
     generate!("perform_autoload_ffi")
     generate!("complete_get_wrap_targets_ffi")
+
+    generate!("is_thompson_shell_script")
 }
 
 impl parser_t {
@@ -270,6 +273,10 @@ impl job_t {
         let ffi_procs = self.ffi_processes();
         unsafe { slice::from_raw_parts_mut(ffi_procs.procs, ffi_procs.count) }
     }
+
+    pub fn get_job_group(&self) -> &JobGroup {
+        unsafe { ::std::mem::transmute::<&job_group_t, &JobGroup>(self.ffi_group()) }
+    }
 }
 
 impl process_t {
diff --git a/fish-rust/src/lib.rs b/fish-rust/src/lib.rs
index 16d6c5a4e..0c20913a2 100644
--- a/fish-rust/src/lib.rs
+++ b/fish-rust/src/lib.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ mod reader;
 mod redirection;
 mod signal;
 mod smoke;
+mod spawn;
 mod termsize;
 mod threads;
 mod timer;
diff --git a/fish-rust/src/redirection.rs b/fish-rust/src/redirection.rs
index f53783506..1a225f07c 100644
--- a/fish-rust/src/redirection.rs
+++ b/fish-rust/src/redirection.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ mod redirection_ffi {
     }
 
     extern "Rust" {
-        fn get_actions(self: &Dup2List) -> &Vec<Dup2Action>;
+        fn get_actions(self: &Dup2List) -> &[Dup2Action];
         #[cxx_name = "dup2_list_resolve_chain"]
         fn dup2_list_resolve_chain_ffi(io_chain: &CxxVector<Dup2Action>) -> Dup2List;
         fn fd_for_target_fd(self: &Dup2List, target: i32) -> i32;
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ fn dup2_list_resolve_chain_ffi(io_chain: &CxxVector<Dup2Action>) -> Dup2List {
 
 impl Dup2List {
     /// \return the list of dup2 actions.
-    fn get_actions(&self) -> &Vec<Dup2Action> {
+    pub fn get_actions(&self) -> &[Dup2Action] {
         &self.actions
     }
 
diff --git a/fish-rust/src/spawn.rs b/fish-rust/src/spawn.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c64601a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fish-rust/src/spawn.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,228 @@
+//! Wrappers around posix_spawn.
+
+use crate::ffi::{self, job_t};
+use crate::redirection::Dup2List;
+use crate::signal::get_signals_with_handlers;
+use errno::{self, Errno};
+use libc::{self, c_char, posix_spawn_file_actions_t, posix_spawnattr_t};
+use std::ffi::{CStr, CString};
+
+// The posix_spawn family of functions is unusual in that it returns errno codes directly in the return value, not via errno.
+// This converts to an error if nonzero.
+fn check_fail(res: i32) -> Result<(), Errno> {
+    match res {
+        0 => Ok(()),
+        err => Err(Errno(err)),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Basic RAII wrapper around posix_spawnattr_t.
+struct Attr(posix_spawnattr_t);
+
+impl Attr {
+    fn new() -> Result<Self, Errno> {
+        unsafe {
+            let mut attr: posix_spawnattr_t = std::mem::zeroed();
+            check_fail(libc::posix_spawnattr_init(&mut attr))?;
+            Ok(Self(attr))
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn set_flags(&mut self, flags: libc::c_short) -> Result<(), Errno> {
+        unsafe { check_fail(libc::posix_spawnattr_setflags(&mut self.0, flags)) }
+    }
+
+    fn set_pgroup(&mut self, pgroup: libc::pid_t) -> Result<(), Errno> {
+        unsafe { check_fail(libc::posix_spawnattr_setpgroup(&mut self.0, pgroup)) }
+    }
+
+    fn set_sigdefault(&mut self, sigs: &libc::sigset_t) -> Result<(), Errno> {
+        unsafe { check_fail(libc::posix_spawnattr_setsigdefault(&mut self.0, sigs)) }
+    }
+
+    fn set_sigmask(&mut self, sigs: &libc::sigset_t) -> Result<(), Errno> {
+        unsafe { check_fail(libc::posix_spawnattr_setsigmask(&mut self.0, sigs)) }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for Attr {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        unsafe {
+            let _ = libc::posix_spawnattr_destroy(&mut self.0);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Basic RAII wrapper around posix_spawn_file_actions_t;
+struct FileActions(posix_spawn_file_actions_t);
+
+impl FileActions {
+    fn new() -> Result<Self, Errno> {
+        unsafe {
+            let mut actions: posix_spawn_file_actions_t = std::mem::zeroed();
+            check_fail(libc::posix_spawn_file_actions_init(&mut actions))?;
+            Ok(Self(actions))
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn add_close(&mut self, fd: libc::c_int) -> Result<(), Errno> {
+        unsafe { check_fail(libc::posix_spawn_file_actions_addclose(&mut self.0, fd)) }
+    }
+
+    fn add_dup2(&mut self, src: libc::c_int, target: libc::c_int) -> Result<(), Errno> {
+        unsafe {
+            check_fail(libc::posix_spawn_file_actions_adddup2(
+                &mut self.0,
+                src,
+                target,
+            ))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for FileActions {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        unsafe {
+            let _ = libc::posix_spawn_file_actions_destroy(&mut self.0);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// A RAII type which wraps up posix_spawn's data structures.
+pub struct PosixSpawner {
+    attr: Attr,
+    actions: FileActions,
+}
+
+impl PosixSpawner {
+    pub fn new(j: &job_t, dup2s: &Dup2List) -> Result<PosixSpawner, Errno> {
+        let mut attr = Attr::new()?;
+        let mut actions = FileActions::new()?;
+
+        // desired_pgid tracks the pgroup for the process. If it is none, the pgroup is left unchanged.
+        // If it is zero, create a new pgroup from the pid. If it is >0, join that pgroup.
+        let desired_pgid = if let Some(pgid) = j.get_job_group().get_pgid() {
+            Some(pgid)
+        } else if j.get_procs()[0].as_ref().unwrap().get_leads_pgrp() {
+            Some(0)
+        } else {
+            None
+        };
+
+        // Set the handling for job control signals back to the default.
+        let reset_signal_handlers = true;
+
+        // Remove all signal blocks.
+        let reset_sigmask = true;
+
+        // Set our flags.
+        let mut flags: i32 = 0;
+        if reset_signal_handlers {
+            flags |= libc::POSIX_SPAWN_SETSIGDEF;
+        }
+        if reset_sigmask {
+            flags |= libc::POSIX_SPAWN_SETSIGMASK;
+        }
+        if desired_pgid.is_some() {
+            flags |= libc::POSIX_SPAWN_SETPGROUP;
+        }
+        attr.set_flags(flags.try_into().expect("Flags should fit in c_short"))?;
+
+        if let Some(desired_pgid) = desired_pgid {
+            attr.set_pgroup(desired_pgid)?;
+        }
+
+        // Everybody gets default handlers.
+        if reset_signal_handlers {
+            let mut sigdefault: libc::sigset_t = unsafe { std::mem::zeroed() };
+            get_signals_with_handlers(&mut sigdefault);
+            attr.set_sigdefault(&sigdefault)?;
+        }
+
+        // No signals blocked.
+        if reset_sigmask {
+            let mut sigmask = unsafe { std::mem::zeroed() };
+            unsafe { libc::sigemptyset(&mut sigmask) };
+            blocked_signals_for_job(j, &mut sigmask);
+            attr.set_sigmask(&sigmask)?;
+        }
+
+        // Apply our dup2s.
+        for act in dup2s.get_actions() {
+            if act.target < 0 {
+                actions.add_close(act.src)?;
+            } else {
+                actions.add_dup2(act.src, act.target)?;
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(PosixSpawner { attr, actions })
+    }
+
+    // Consume this spawner, attempting to spawn a new process.
+    pub fn spawn(
+        self,
+        cmd: *const c_char,
+        argv: *const *mut c_char,
+        envp: *const *mut c_char,
+    ) -> Result<libc::pid_t, Errno> {
+        let mut pid = -1;
+        let spawned = check_fail(unsafe {
+            libc::posix_spawn(&mut pid, cmd, &self.actions.0, &self.attr.0, argv, envp)
+        });
+        if spawned.is_ok() {
+            return Ok(pid);
+        }
+        let spawn_err = spawned.unwrap_err();
+
+        // The shebang wasn't introduced until UNIX Seventh Edition, so if
+        // the kernel won't run the binary we hand it off to the interpreter
+        // after performing a binary safety check, recommended by POSIX: a
+        // line needs to exist before the first \0 with a lowercase letter.
+        if spawn_err.0 == libc::ENOEXEC && ffi::is_thompson_shell_script(cmd) {
+            // Create a new argv with /bin/sh prepended.
+            let interp = get_path_bshell();
+            let mut argv2 = vec![interp.as_ptr() as *mut c_char];
+
+            // The command to call should use the full path,
+            // not what we would pass as argv0.
+            let cmd2: CString = CString::new(unsafe { CStr::from_ptr(cmd).to_bytes() }).unwrap();
+            argv2.push(cmd2.as_ptr() as *mut c_char);
+            for i in 1.. {
+                let ptr = unsafe { argv.offset(i).read() };
+                if ptr.is_null() {
+                    break;
+                }
+                argv2.push(ptr);
+            }
+            argv2.push(std::ptr::null_mut());
+            check_fail(unsafe {
+                libc::posix_spawn(
+                    &mut pid,
+                    interp.as_ptr(),
+                    &self.actions.0,
+                    &self.attr.0,
+                    argv2.as_ptr(),
+                    envp,
+                )
+            })?;
+            return Ok(pid);
+        }
+        Err(spawn_err)
+    }
+}
+
+fn blocked_signals_for_job(job: &job_t, sigmask: &mut libc::sigset_t) {
+    // Block some signals in background jobs for which job control is turned off (#6828).
+    if !job.is_foreground() && !job.wants_job_control() {
+        unsafe {
+            libc::sigaddset(sigmask, libc::SIGINT);
+            libc::sigaddset(sigmask, libc::SIGQUIT);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn get_path_bshell() -> CString {
+    // TODO: this should really use _PATH_BSHELL, but this is only used in an edge case for posix_spawns
+    // which fail to run Thompson shell scripts; we simply assume it is /bin/sh.
+    CString::new("/bin/sh").unwrap()
+}
diff --git a/src/exec.h b/src/exec.h
index 19c0741af..acdabbdd4 100644
--- a/src/exec.h
+++ b/src/exec.h
@@ -44,4 +44,8 @@ int exec_subshell_for_expand(const wcstring &cmd, parser_t &parser,
 /// Add signals that should be masked for external processes in this job.
 bool blocked_signals_for_job(const job_t &job, sigset_t *sigmask);
 
+/// This function checks the beginning of a file to see if it's safe to
+/// pass to the system interpreter when execve() returns ENOEXEC.
+bool is_thompson_shell_script(const char *path);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/proc.h b/src/proc.h
index f0ef9cc33..6f9b1c4bf 100644
--- a/src/proc.h
+++ b/src/proc.h
@@ -291,6 +291,9 @@ class process_t {
     /// \return whether this process type is internal (block, function, or builtin).
     bool is_internal() const;
 
+    /// \return whether this process leads its process group.
+    bool get_leads_pgrp() const { return leads_pgrp; }
+
     /// \return the wait handle for the process, if it exists.
     rust::Box<WaitHandleRefFFI> *get_wait_handle_ffi() const;