diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/env.c b/dlls/ntdll/env.c
index 92cd3bd0d11..8c9023c313f 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/env.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/env.c
@@ -1168,44 +1168,41 @@ wait:
  */
 void init_user_process_params(void)
 {
-    WCHAR *src, *load_path, *dummy;
-    SIZE_T info_size, env_size, data_size = 0;
-    startup_info_t *info = NULL;
-    RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *params = NULL;
-    UNICODE_STRING curdir, dllpath, imagepath, cmdline, title, desktop, shellinfo, runtime;
+    WCHAR *env, *load_path, *dummy;
+    SIZE_T env_size;
+    RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *new_params, *params = NtCurrentTeb()->Peb->ProcessParameters;
+    UNICODE_STRING curdir, dllpath, cmdline;
     WCHAR **wargv;
 
-    unix_funcs->get_startup_info( NULL, &data_size, &info_size );
-    if (!data_size)
+    if (!params->DllPath.MaximumLength)  /* not inherited from parent process */
     {
-        RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS initial_params = {0};
-        WCHAR *env, curdir_buffer[MAX_PATH];
+        WCHAR curdir_buffer[MAX_PATH];
 
-        NtCurrentTeb()->Peb->ProcessParameters = &initial_params;
-        initial_params.Environment = build_initial_environment( &wargv );
+        params->Environment = build_initial_environment( &wargv );
         curdir.Buffer = curdir_buffer;
         curdir.MaximumLength = sizeof(curdir_buffer);
         get_current_directory( &curdir );
-        initial_params.CurrentDirectory.DosPath = curdir;
-        get_image_path( wargv[0], &initial_params.ImagePathName );
-        wargv[0] = initial_params.ImagePathName.Buffer;
+        params->CurrentDirectory.DosPath = curdir;
+        get_image_path( wargv[0], &params->ImagePathName );
+        wargv[0] = params->ImagePathName.Buffer;
         build_command_line( wargv, &cmdline );
-        LdrGetDllPath( initial_params.ImagePathName.Buffer, 0, &load_path, &dummy );
+        LdrGetDllPath( params->ImagePathName.Buffer, 0, &load_path, &dummy );
         RtlInitUnicodeString( &dllpath, load_path );
 
-        env = initial_params.Environment;
-        initial_params.Environment = NULL;  /* avoid copying it */
-        if (RtlCreateProcessParametersEx( &params, &initial_params.ImagePathName, &dllpath, &curdir,
-                                          &cmdline, NULL, &initial_params.ImagePathName, NULL, NULL, NULL,
+        env = params->Environment;
+        params->Environment = NULL;  /* avoid copying it */
+        if (RtlCreateProcessParametersEx( &new_params, &params->ImagePathName, &dllpath, &curdir,
+                                          &cmdline, NULL, &params->ImagePathName, NULL, NULL, NULL,
                                           PROCESS_PARAMS_FLAG_NORMALIZED ))
             return;
 
-        params->Environment = env;
-        NtCurrentTeb()->Peb->ProcessParameters = params;
-        RtlFreeUnicodeString( &initial_params.ImagePathName );
+        new_params->Environment = env;
+        NtCurrentTeb()->Peb->ProcessParameters = new_params;
+        RtlFreeUnicodeString( &params->ImagePathName );
         RtlFreeUnicodeString( &cmdline );
         RtlReleasePath( load_path );
 
+        params = new_params;
         unix_funcs->get_initial_console( params );
         params->wShowWindow = 1; /* SW_SHOWNORMAL */
 
@@ -1213,54 +1210,16 @@ void init_user_process_params(void)
         goto done;
     }
 
-    if (!(info = RtlAllocateHeap( GetProcessHeap(), 0, data_size ))) return;
-
-    if (unix_funcs->get_startup_info( info, &data_size, &info_size )) goto done;
-
-    src = (WCHAR *)(info + 1);
-    get_unicode_string( &curdir, &src, info->curdir_len );
-    get_unicode_string( &dllpath, &src, info->dllpath_len );
-    get_unicode_string( &imagepath, &src, info->imagepath_len );
-    get_unicode_string( &cmdline, &src, info->cmdline_len );
-    get_unicode_string( &title, &src, info->title_len );
-    get_unicode_string( &desktop, &src, info->desktop_len );
-    get_unicode_string( &shellinfo, &src, info->shellinfo_len );
-    get_unicode_string( &runtime, &src, info->runtime_len );
-
-    runtime.MaximumLength = runtime.Length;  /* runtime info isn't a real string */
-
-    if (RtlCreateProcessParametersEx( &params, &imagepath, &dllpath, &curdir, &cmdline, NULL,
-                                      &title, &desktop, &shellinfo, &runtime,
-                                      PROCESS_PARAMS_FLAG_NORMALIZED ))
-        goto done;
-
-    NtCurrentTeb()->Peb->ProcessParameters = params;
-    params->DebugFlags      = info->debug_flags;
-    params->ConsoleHandle   = wine_server_ptr_handle( info->console );
-    params->ConsoleFlags    = info->console_flags;
-    params->hStdInput       = wine_server_ptr_handle( info->hstdin );
-    params->hStdOutput      = wine_server_ptr_handle( info->hstdout );
-    params->hStdError       = wine_server_ptr_handle( info->hstderr );
-    params->dwX             = info->x;
-    params->dwY             = info->y;
-    params->dwXSize         = info->xsize;
-    params->dwYSize         = info->ysize;
-    params->dwXCountChars   = info->xchars;
-    params->dwYCountChars   = info->ychars;
-    params->dwFillAttribute = info->attribute;
-    params->dwFlags         = info->flags;
-    params->wShowWindow     = info->show;
-
     /* environment needs to be a separate memory block */
-    env_size = data_size - info_size;
-    if ((params->Environment = RtlAllocateHeap( GetProcessHeap(), 0, max( env_size, sizeof(WCHAR) ))))
+    env_size = params->EnvironmentSize;
+    if ((env = RtlAllocateHeap( GetProcessHeap(), 0, max( env_size, sizeof(WCHAR) ))))
     {
-        if (env_size) memcpy( params->Environment, (char *)info + info_size, env_size );
-        else params->Environment[0] = 0;
+        if (env_size) memcpy( env, params->Environment, env_size );
+        else env[0] = 0;
+        params->Environment = env;
     }
 
 done:
-    RtlFreeHeap( GetProcessHeap(), 0, info );
     if (RtlSetCurrentDirectory_U( &params->CurrentDirectory.DosPath ))
     {
         MESSAGE("wine: could not open working directory %s, starting in the Windows directory.\n",
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/unix/env.c b/dlls/ntdll/unix/env.c
index cb2915c1a35..b7d0a0db05b 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/unix/env.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/unix/env.c
@@ -1163,32 +1163,6 @@ static void add_path_var( WCHAR *env, SIZE_T *pos, const char *name, const char
 }
 
 
-/*************************************************************************
- *		get_startup_info
- *
- * Get the startup information from the server.
- */
-NTSTATUS CDECL get_startup_info( startup_info_t *info, SIZE_T *total_size, SIZE_T *info_size )
-{
-    NTSTATUS status;
-
-    if (*total_size < startup_info_size)
-    {
-        *total_size = startup_info_size;
-        return STATUS_BUFFER_TOO_SMALL;
-    }
-    SERVER_START_REQ( get_startup_info )
-    {
-        wine_server_set_reply( req, info, *total_size );
-        status = wine_server_call( req );
-        *total_size = wine_server_reply_size( reply );
-        *info_size = reply->info_size;
-    }
-    SERVER_END_REQ;
-    return status;
-}
-
-
 /*************************************************************************
  *		get_dynamic_environment
  *
@@ -1375,6 +1349,130 @@ void CDECL get_locales( WCHAR *sys, WCHAR *user )
 }
 
 
+static inline void copy_unicode_string( WCHAR **src, WCHAR **dst, UNICODE_STRING *str, UINT len )
+{
+    str->Buffer = *dst;
+    str->Length = len;
+    str->MaximumLength = len + sizeof(WCHAR);
+    memcpy( *dst, *src, len );
+    (*dst)[len / sizeof(WCHAR)] = 0;
+    *src += len / sizeof(WCHAR);
+    *dst += len / sizeof(WCHAR) + 1;
+}
+
+
+/*************************************************************************
+ *		build_initial_params
+ *
+ * Build process parameters from scratch, for processes without a parent.
+ */
+static RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *build_initial_params(void)
+{
+    RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *params = NULL;
+    SIZE_T size;
+    NTSTATUS status;
+
+    size = sizeof(*params);
+
+    status = NtAllocateVirtualMemory( NtCurrentProcess(), (void **)&params, 0, &size,
+                                      MEM_COMMIT, PAGE_READWRITE );
+    assert( !status );
+
+    params->AllocationSize  = size;
+    params->Size            = size;
+    params->Flags           = PROCESS_PARAMS_FLAG_NORMALIZED;
+    params->wShowWindow     = 1; /* SW_SHOWNORMAL */
+    return params;
+}
+
+
+/*************************************************************************
+ *		init_startup_info
+ */
+void init_startup_info(void)
+{
+    WCHAR *src, *dst;
+    NTSTATUS status;
+    SIZE_T size, info_size, env_size;
+    RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *params = NULL;
+    startup_info_t *info;
+
+    if (!startup_info_size)
+    {
+        NtCurrentTeb()->Peb->ProcessParameters = build_initial_params();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    info = malloc( startup_info_size );
+
+    SERVER_START_REQ( get_startup_info )
+    {
+        wine_server_set_reply( req, info, startup_info_size );
+        status = wine_server_call( req );
+        info_size = reply->info_size;
+        env_size = wine_server_reply_size( reply ) - info_size;
+    }
+    SERVER_END_REQ;
+    assert( !status );
+
+    size = (sizeof(*params)
+            + MAX_PATH * sizeof(WCHAR)  /* curdir */
+            + info->dllpath_len + sizeof(WCHAR)
+            + info->imagepath_len + sizeof(WCHAR)
+            + info->cmdline_len + sizeof(WCHAR)
+            + info->title_len + sizeof(WCHAR)
+            + info->desktop_len + sizeof(WCHAR)
+            + info->shellinfo_len + sizeof(WCHAR)
+            + info->runtime_len + sizeof(WCHAR)
+            + env_size);
+
+    status = NtAllocateVirtualMemory( NtCurrentProcess(), (void **)&params, 0, &size,
+                                      MEM_COMMIT, PAGE_READWRITE );
+    assert( !status );
+
+    params->AllocationSize  = size;
+    params->Size            = size;
+    params->Flags           = PROCESS_PARAMS_FLAG_NORMALIZED;
+    params->EnvironmentSize = env_size;
+    params->DebugFlags      = info->debug_flags;
+    params->ConsoleHandle   = wine_server_ptr_handle( info->console );
+    params->ConsoleFlags    = info->console_flags;
+    params->hStdInput       = wine_server_ptr_handle( info->hstdin );
+    params->hStdOutput      = wine_server_ptr_handle( info->hstdout );
+    params->hStdError       = wine_server_ptr_handle( info->hstderr );
+    params->dwX             = info->x;
+    params->dwY             = info->y;
+    params->dwXSize         = info->xsize;
+    params->dwYSize         = info->ysize;
+    params->dwXCountChars   = info->xchars;
+    params->dwYCountChars   = info->ychars;
+    params->dwFillAttribute = info->attribute;
+    params->dwFlags         = info->flags;
+    params->wShowWindow     = info->show;
+
+    src = (WCHAR *)(info + 1);
+    dst = (WCHAR *)(params + 1);
+
+    /* curdir is special */
+    copy_unicode_string( &src, &dst, &params->CurrentDirectory.DosPath, info->curdir_len );
+    params->CurrentDirectory.DosPath.MaximumLength = MAX_PATH * sizeof(WCHAR);
+    dst = params->CurrentDirectory.DosPath.Buffer + MAX_PATH;
+
+    copy_unicode_string( &src, &dst, &params->DllPath, info->dllpath_len );
+    copy_unicode_string( &src, &dst, &params->ImagePathName, info->imagepath_len );
+    copy_unicode_string( &src, &dst, &params->CommandLine, info->cmdline_len );
+    copy_unicode_string( &src, &dst, &params->WindowTitle, info->title_len );
+    copy_unicode_string( &src, &dst, &params->Desktop, info->desktop_len );
+    copy_unicode_string( &src, &dst, &params->ShellInfo, info->shellinfo_len );
+    copy_unicode_string( &src, &dst, &params->RuntimeInfo, info->runtime_len );
+    params->RuntimeInfo.MaximumLength = params->RuntimeInfo.Length;  /* runtime info isn't a real string */
+    params->Environment = dst;
+    memcpy( dst, src, env_size );
+    free( info );
+    NtCurrentTeb()->Peb->ProcessParameters = params;
+}
+
+
 /**************************************************************************
  *      NtGetNlsSectionPtr  (NTDLL.@)
  */
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/unix/loader.c b/dlls/ntdll/unix/loader.c
index b82bc10485b..ceb447eb907 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/unix/loader.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/unix/loader.c
@@ -1608,7 +1608,6 @@ static struct unix_funcs unix_funcs =
     ntdll_sqrt,
     ntdll_tan,
     get_initial_environment,
-    get_startup_info,
     get_dynamic_environment,
     get_initial_console,
     get_initial_directory,
@@ -1644,6 +1643,7 @@ static void start_main_thread(void)
     virtual_map_user_shared_data();
     init_cpu_info();
     init_files();
+    init_startup_info();
     NtCreateKeyedEvent( &keyed_event, GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE, NULL, 0 );
     load_ntdll();
     load_libwine();
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/unix/unix_private.h b/dlls/ntdll/unix/unix_private.h
index af8a14a8c65..299519691bd 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/unix/unix_private.h
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/unix/unix_private.h
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ extern NTSTATUS CDECL fast_wait_cv( RTL_CONDITION_VARIABLE *variable, const void
                                     const LARGE_INTEGER *timeout ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
 
 extern NTSTATUS CDECL get_initial_environment( WCHAR **wargv[], WCHAR *env, SIZE_T *size ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
-extern NTSTATUS CDECL get_startup_info( startup_info_t *info, SIZE_T *total_size, SIZE_T *info_size ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
 extern NTSTATUS CDECL get_dynamic_environment( WCHAR *env, SIZE_T *size ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
 extern void CDECL get_initial_directory( UNICODE_STRING *dir ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
 extern void CDECL get_initial_console( RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *params ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
@@ -138,6 +137,7 @@ extern struct ldt_copy __wine_ldt_copy DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
 #endif
 
 extern void init_environment( int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[] ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
+extern void init_startup_info(void) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
 extern DWORD ntdll_umbstowcs( const char *src, DWORD srclen, WCHAR *dst, DWORD dstlen ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
 extern int ntdll_wcstoumbs( const WCHAR *src, DWORD srclen, char *dst, DWORD dstlen, BOOL strict ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
 extern char **build_envp( const WCHAR *envW ) DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/unixlib.h b/dlls/ntdll/unixlib.h
index ed78d08559a..1b344cdc11e 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/unixlib.h
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/unixlib.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 struct _DISPATCHER_CONTEXT;
 
 /* increment this when you change the function table */
-#define NTDLL_UNIXLIB_VERSION 108
+#define NTDLL_UNIXLIB_VERSION 109
 
 struct unix_funcs
 {
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ struct unix_funcs
 
     /* environment functions */
     NTSTATUS      (CDECL *get_initial_environment)( WCHAR **wargv[], WCHAR *env, SIZE_T *size );
-    NTSTATUS      (CDECL *get_startup_info)( startup_info_t *info, SIZE_T *total_size, SIZE_T *info_size );
     NTSTATUS      (CDECL *get_dynamic_environment)( WCHAR *env, SIZE_T *size );
     void          (CDECL *get_initial_console)( RTL_USER_PROCESS_PARAMETERS *params );
     void          (CDECL *get_initial_directory)( UNICODE_STRING *dir );