diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/console_utils.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/console_utils.py
index 84eae03e62..5af5835884 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/console_utils.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/console_utils.py
@@ -305,9 +305,11 @@ def start_socat_console(node_uuid, port, console_cmd):
 
     console_host = CONF.console.socat_address
     if netutils.is_valid_ipv6(console_host):
-        arg = 'TCP6-LISTEN:%(port)s,bind=[%(host)s],reuseaddr'
+        arg = ('TCP6-LISTEN:%(port)s,bind=[%(host)s],reuseaddr,fork,'
+               'max-children=1')
     else:
-        arg = 'TCP4-LISTEN:%(port)s,bind=%(host)s,reuseaddr'
+        arg = ('TCP4-LISTEN:%(port)s,bind=%(host)s,reuseaddr,fork,'
+               'max-children=1')
     args.append(arg % {'host': console_host,
                        'port': port})
 
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_console_utils.py b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_console_utils.py
index 6355ad0494..4c83fb169c 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_console_utils.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_console_utils.py
@@ -467,13 +467,15 @@ class ConsoleUtilsTestCase(db_base.DbTestCase):
     def test_start_socat_console_check_arg_bind_addr_default_ipv4(self):
         self.config(my_ip='10.0.0.1')
         args = self._test_start_socat_console_check_arg()
-        self.assertIn('TCP4-LISTEN:%s,bind=10.0.0.1,reuseaddr' %
+        self.assertIn('TCP4-LISTEN:%s,bind=10.0.0.1,reuseaddr,fork,'
+                      'max-children=1' %
                       self.info['port'], args)
 
     def test_start_socat_console_check_arg_bind_addr_ipv4(self):
         self.config(socat_address='10.0.0.1', group='console')
         args = self._test_start_socat_console_check_arg()
-        self.assertIn('TCP4-LISTEN:%s,bind=10.0.0.1,reuseaddr' %
+        self.assertIn('TCP4-LISTEN:%s,bind=10.0.0.1,reuseaddr,fork,'
+                      'max-children=1' %
                       self.info['port'], args)
 
     @mock.patch.object(os.path, 'exists', autospec=True)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/socat-respawn-de9e8805c820a7ac.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/socat-respawn-de9e8805c820a7ac.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..980e0f9daf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/socat-respawn-de9e8805c820a7ac.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - Ironic does not monitor the socat proxy started for serial console
+    access. The socat process would exit on client disconnect, which
+    would (a) leave a zombie socat process in the process table and (b)
+    disable any subsequent serial console connections. Fixed the issue by
+    updating Ironic to call socat with the ``fork,max-children=1`` options,
+    which makes socat persist and accept multiple connections (but only one
+    at a time).  See https://storyboard.openstack.org/#!/story/2005024.