diff --git a/container/container.go b/container/container.go
index 428309c..bb60c23 100644
--- a/container/container.go
+++ b/container/container.go
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ type (
 	// Container represents a container environment being prepared or run.
 	// None of [Container] methods are safe for concurrent use.
 	Container struct {
+		// Whether the container init should stay alive after its parent terminates.
+		AllowOrphan bool
 		// Cgroup fd, nil to disable.
 		Cgroup *int
 		// ExtraFiles passed through to initial process in the container,
@@ -252,8 +254,7 @@ func (p *Container) Start() error {
 	}
 	p.cmd.Dir = fhs.Root
 	p.cmd.SysProcAttr = &SysProcAttr{
-		Setsid:    !p.RetainSession,
-		Pdeathsig: SIGKILL,
+		Setsid: !p.RetainSession,
 		Cloneflags: CLONE_NEWUSER | CLONE_NEWPID | CLONE_NEWNS |
 			CLONE_NEWIPC | CLONE_NEWUTS | CLONE_NEWCGROUP,
 
@@ -268,6 +269,9 @@ func (p *Container) Start() error {
 
 		UseCgroupFD: p.Cgroup != nil,
 	}
+	if !p.AllowOrphan {
+		p.cmd.SysProcAttr.Pdeathsig = SIGKILL
+	}
 	if p.cmd.SysProcAttr.UseCgroupFD {
 		p.cmd.SysProcAttr.CgroupFD = *p.Cgroup
 	}