diff --git a/compiler/daemon/daemon-client/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/daemon/client/KotlinCompilerClient.kt b/compiler/daemon/daemon-client/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/daemon/client/KotlinCompilerClient.kt
index 797a4918a77..ee543304603 100644
--- a/compiler/daemon/daemon-client/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/daemon/client/KotlinCompilerClient.kt
+++ b/compiler/daemon/daemon-client/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/daemon/client/KotlinCompilerClient.kt
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package org.jetbrains.kotlin.daemon.client
 
 import net.rubygrapefruit.platform.Native
+import net.rubygrapefruit.platform.NativeException
 import net.rubygrapefruit.platform.ProcessLauncher
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.common.messages.CompilerMessageLocation
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.cli.common.messages.CompilerMessageSeverity
@@ -386,8 +387,15 @@ object KotlinCompilerClient {
         val processBuilder = ProcessBuilder(args)
         processBuilder.redirectErrorStream(true)
         // assuming daemon process is deaf and (mostly) silent, so do not handle streams
-        val daemonLauncher = Native.get(ProcessLauncher::class.java)
-        val daemon = daemonLauncher.start(processBuilder)
+        val daemon =
+                try {
+                    val nativeLauncher = Native.get(ProcessLauncher::class.java)
+                    nativeLauncher.start(processBuilder)
+                }
+                catch (e: NativeException) {
+                    reportingTargets.report(DaemonReportCategory.DEBUG, "Could not start daemon with native process launcher, falling back to ProcessBuilder#start")
+                    processBuilder.start()
+                }
 
         val isEchoRead = Semaphore(1)
         isEchoRead.acquire()