diff --git a/gnu/services/base.scm b/gnu/services/base.scm
index b168543..aa34aa8 100644
--- a/gnu/services/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/base.scm
@@ -482,6 +482,7 @@ strings or string-valued gexps."
       (let ((pid (primitive-fork)))
         (case pid
           ((0)
+           (sleep 1)
            (close-fdes 0)
            (dup2 (open-fdes #$tty O_RDONLY) 0)
            (close-fdes 1)