diff --git a/dvc/daemon.py b/dvc/daemon.py
index cc41cb0eb0..88b55c913c 100644
--- a/dvc/daemon.py
+++ b/dvc/daemon.py
@@ -3,32 +3,20 @@
 import inspect
 import logging
 import os
-import platform
 import subprocess  # nosec B404
 import sys
 from contextlib import nullcontext
-from typing import (
-    TYPE_CHECKING,
-    Any,
-    Iterable,
-    List,
-    Mapping,
-    Optional,
-    Sequence,
-    Union,
-)
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, List, Mapping, Optional, Sequence, Union
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from typing import ContextManager
 
 from dvc.env import DVC_DAEMON, DVC_DAEMON_LOGFILE
 from dvc.utils import fix_env, is_binary
 from dvc.utils.collections import ensure_list
 
-if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from typing import IO, ContextManager
-
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-_FILE = Union[None, int, "IO[Any]"]
-
 
 def _suppress_resource_warning(popen: subprocess.Popen) -> None:
     """Sets the returncode to avoid ResourceWarning when popen is garbage collected."""
@@ -37,43 +25,28 @@ def _suppress_resource_warning(popen: subprocess.Popen) -> None:
     popen.returncode = 0
 
 
-def run_detached(
-    args: Sequence[str],
-    env: Optional[Mapping[str, str]] = None,
-    stdin: _FILE = subprocess.DEVNULL,
-    stdout: _FILE = subprocess.DEVNULL,
-    stderr: _FILE = subprocess.DEVNULL,
-    **kwargs: Any,
-) -> int:
-    # NOTE: this may create zombie processes on unix
-    startupinfo = None
-    creationflags = 0
-    if sys.platform == "win32":
-        from subprocess import (  # nosec B404
-            CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP,
-            CREATE_NO_WINDOW,
-            STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW,
-            STARTUPINFO,
-        )
-
-        # https://stackoverflow.com/a/7006424
-        # https://bugs.python.org/issue41619
-        creationflags = CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP | CREATE_NO_WINDOW
-
-        startupinfo = STARTUPINFO()
-        startupinfo.dwFlags |= STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW
+def _win_detached_subprocess(args: Sequence[str], **kwargs) -> int:
+    assert os.name == "nt"
 
+    from subprocess import (  # type: ignore[attr-defined] # nosec B404
+        CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP,
+        CREATE_NO_WINDOW,
+        STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW,
+        STARTUPINFO,
+    )
+
+    # https://stackoverflow.com/a/7006424
+    # https://bugs.python.org/issue41619
+    creationflags = CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP | CREATE_NO_WINDOW
+
+    startupinfo = STARTUPINFO()
+    startupinfo.dwFlags |= STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW
     popen = subprocess.Popen(
         args,
-        stdin=stdin,
-        stdout=stdout,
-        stderr=stderr,
         close_fds=True,
         shell=False,  # noqa: S603 # nosec B603
-        env=env,
         startupinfo=startupinfo,
         creationflags=creationflags,
-        start_new_session=True,
         **kwargs,
     )
     _suppress_resource_warning(popen)
@@ -89,20 +62,8 @@ def _get_dvc_args() -> List[str]:
     return args
 
 
-def _spawn_posix(
-    executable: List[str],
-    args: List[str],
-    env: Optional[Mapping[str, str]] = None,
-    output_file: Optional[str] = None,
-) -> None:
-    from dvc.cli import main
-
-    # `fork` will copy buffers, so we need to flush them before forking.
-    # Otherwise, we will get duplicated outputs.
-    if sys.stdout and not sys.stdout.closed:
-        sys.stdout.flush()
-    if sys.stderr and not sys.stderr.closed:
-        sys.stderr.flush()
+def _fork_process() -> int:
+    assert os.name == "posix"
 
     # NOTE: using os._exit instead of sys.exit, because dvc built
     # with PyInstaller has trouble with SystemExit exception and throws
@@ -111,7 +72,7 @@ def _spawn_posix(
         # pylint: disable-next=no-member
         pid = os.fork()  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
         if pid > 0:
-            return
+            return pid
     except OSError:
         logger.exception("failed at first fork")
         os._exit(1)  # pylint: disable=protected-access
@@ -129,83 +90,85 @@ def _spawn_posix(
 
     # disconnect from the terminal
     fd = os.open(os.devnull, os.O_RDWR)
-    os.dup2(fd, 0)
+    for fd2 in range(3):
+        os.dup2(fd, fd2)
     os.close(fd)
+    return pid
 
-    with open(output_file or os.devnull, "ab") as f:
-        os.dup2(f.fileno(), 1)
-        os.dup2(f.fileno(), 2)
 
-    if platform.system() == "Darwin":
-        # workaround for MacOS bug
-        # https://github.com/iterative/dvc/issues/4294
-        subprocess.Popen(
-            executable + args, env=env, shell=False  # noqa: S603 # nosec B603
-        ).communicate()
-    else:
-        os.environ.update(env or {})
-        main(args)
+def _posix_detached_subprocess(args: Sequence[str], **kwargs) -> Optional[int]:
+    # double fork and execute a subprocess so that there are no zombies
+    pid = _fork_process()
+    if pid > 0:  # in parent
+        return None
+
+    proc = subprocess.Popen(
+        args,
+        shell=False,  # noqa: S603 # nosec B603
+        close_fds=True,
+        **kwargs,
+    )
+    exit_code = proc.wait()
+    os._exit(exit_code)
 
-    os._exit(0)  # pylint: disable=protected-access
 
+def _detached_subprocess(args: Sequence[str], **kwargs) -> Optional[int]:
+    """Run in a detached subprocess."""
+    kwargs.setdefault("stdin", subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    kwargs.setdefault("stdout", subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    kwargs.setdefault("stderr", subprocess.DEVNULL)
 
-def daemon(args: Iterable[str]) -> None:
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        return _win_detached_subprocess(args, **kwargs)
+    _posix_detached_subprocess(args, **kwargs)
+    return None
+
+
+def _map_log_level_to_flag() -> Optional[str]:
+    flags = {logging.DEBUG: "-v", logging.TRACE: "-vv"}  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
+    return flags.get(logger.getEffectiveLevel())
+
+
+def daemon(args: List[str]) -> None:
     """Launch a `dvc daemon` command in a detached process.
 
     Args:
         args (list): list of arguments to append to `dvc daemon` command.
     """
-    flags = {
-        logging.CRITICAL: "-q",
-        logging.DEBUG: "-v",
-        logging.TRACE: "-vv",  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
-    }
-    args = list(args)
-    if flag := flags.get(logger.getEffectiveLevel()):
-        args.append(flag)
+    if flag := _map_log_level_to_flag():
+        args = [*args, flag]
     daemonize(["daemon", *args])
 
 
-def _spawn_subprocess(
-    executable: List[str],
+def _spawn(
     args: List[str],
+    executable: Optional[Union[str, List[str]]] = None,
     env: Optional[Mapping[str, str]] = None,
     output_file: Optional[str] = None,
 ) -> Optional[int]:
-    # adapt run_detached to _spawn's interface
     file: "ContextManager[Any]" = nullcontext()
-    kw = {}
+    kwargs = {}
     if output_file:
         file = open(output_file, "ab")  # noqa: SIM115
-        kw = {"stdout": file, "stderr": file}
+        kwargs = {"stdout": file, "stderr": file}
 
-    with file:
-        return run_detached(executable + args, env, **kw)
+    if executable is None:
+        executable = _get_dvc_args()
+    else:
+        executable = ensure_list(executable)
 
+    with file:
+        return _detached_subprocess(executable + args, env=env, **kwargs)
 
-def _spawn(
-    executable: List[str],
-    args: List[str],
-    env: Optional[Mapping[str, str]] = None,
-    output_file: Optional[str] = None,
-) -> Optional[int]:
-    if os.name == "nt":
-        return _spawn_subprocess(executable, args, env, output_file=output_file)
 
-    if os.name == "posix":
-        _spawn_posix(executable, args, env, output_file=output_file)
+def daemonize(args: List[str], executable: Union[None, str, List[str]] = None) -> None:
+    if os.name not in ("posix", "nt"):
         return None
 
-    raise NotImplementedError
-
-
-def daemonize(args: List[str], executable: Union[None, str, List[str]] = None) -> None:
     if os.environ.get(DVC_DAEMON):
         logger.debug("skipping launching a new daemon.")
         return
 
-    executable = _get_dvc_args() if executable is None else ensure_list(executable)
-
     env = fix_env()
     env[DVC_DAEMON] = "1"
     if not is_binary():
@@ -213,5 +176,5 @@ def daemonize(args: List[str], executable: Union[None, str, List[str]] = None) -
         env["PYTHONPATH"] = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(file_path))
 
     logger.debug("Trying to spawn %r", args)
-    pid = _spawn(executable, args, env, output_file=env.get(DVC_DAEMON_LOGFILE))
+    pid = _spawn(args, executable, env, output_file=env.get(DVC_DAEMON_LOGFILE))
     logger.debug("Spawned %r%s", args, f" with pid {pid}" if pid else "")
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_daemon.py b/tests/unit/test_daemon.py
index 20595eec0b..91571d9b6f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_daemon.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_daemon.py
@@ -5,19 +5,11 @@
 
 
 def test_daemon(mocker):
-    mock_windows = mocker.patch("dvc.daemon._spawn_subprocess")
-    mock_posix = mocker.patch("dvc.daemon._spawn_posix")
+    mock = mocker.patch("dvc.daemon._spawn")
     daemon.daemon(["updater"])
 
-    if os.name == "nt":
-        mock_posix.assert_not_called()
-        mock_windows.assert_called()
-        args = mock_windows.call_args[0]
-    else:
-        mock_windows.assert_not_called()
-        mock_posix.assert_called()
-        args = mock_posix.call_args[0]
-
+    mock.assert_called()
+    args = mock.call_args[0]
     env = args[2]
     assert "PYTHONPATH" in env