diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/path.cc b/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
index 1c3583d76..c3f84f7f8 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/path.cc
@@ -4868,10 +4868,9 @@ cwdstuff::set (path_conv *nat_cwd, const char *posix_cwd)
 			peb.ProcessParameters->CurrentDirectoryHandle,
 			GetCurrentProcess (), &h, 0, TRUE, 0))
 	    {
-	      release_write ();
 	      if (peb.ProcessParameters->CurrentDirectoryHandle)
 		debug_printf ("...and DuplicateHandle failed with %E.");
-	      dir = NULL;
+	      h = NULL;
 	    }
 	}
     }
diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/release/3.4.10 b/winsup/cygwin/release/3.4.10
index f34b131b3..c75283991 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/release/3.4.10
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/release/3.4.10
@@ -3,3 +3,6 @@ Bug Fixes
 
 - Fix missing term in __cpuset_zero_s() prototoype in sys/cpuset.h.
   Addresses: https://cygwin.com/pipermail/cygwin/2023-September/254423.html
+
+- Fix hang in process initialization if cwd is unreadable.
+  Addresses: https://cygwin.com/pipermail/cygwin/2023-October/254604.html