diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
index b204a3ad0f1f01e..a93ff4f0be58033 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
@@ -320,8 +320,14 @@ def sigchld_handler(*_unused):
         # protect the process from ^C
         signal.SIGINT: signal.SIG_IGN,
         }
-    old_handlers = {sig: signal.signal(sig, val)
-                    for (sig, val) in handlers.items()}
+    old_handlers = {}
+    for sig, val in handlers.items():
+        old_handler = signal.signal(sig, val)
+        if old_handler is None:
+            # gh-159418: a handler installed outside of Python (e.g. from C)
+            # cannot be restored from Python, so use the default action.
+            old_handler = signal.SIG_DFL
+        old_handlers[sig] = old_handler
 
     # calling os.write() in the Python signal handler is racy
     signal.set_wakeup_fd(sig_w)
diff --git a/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py b/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
index 40abeda816963b8..31c997497048264 100644
--- a/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
+++ b/Lib/test/_test_multiprocessing.py
@@ -7610,6 +7610,44 @@ def test_forkserver_preload_imports_sys_path(self):
         q.close()
         self.assertIn(self._mod_name, child_imported_modules)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def send_child_sigint_state(conn, mod_name):
+        conn.send((mod_name in sys.modules, signal.getsignal(signal.SIGINT)))
+
+    def test_forkserver_preload_foreign_sigint_handler(self):
+        # gh-159418: signal.signal() returns None when the handler was already
+        # installed outside Python before the interpreter started, for example
+        # by a library loaded with LD_PRELOAD. Simulate that in the forkserver
+        # with a preloaded module.
+        if self._ctx.get_start_method() != "forkserver":
+            self.skipTest("forkserver specific test.")
+        mod_name = "foreign_sigint_test_mod"
+        mod_path = os.path.join(self._temp_dir, f"{mod_name}.py")
+        with open(mod_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as mod:
+            mod.write(textwrap.dedent("""\
+                import signal
+                _signal = signal.signal
+                def _fake_signal(signum, handler):
+                    old_handler = _signal(signum, handler)
+                    return None if signum == signal.SIGINT else old_handler
+                signal.signal = _fake_signal
+                """))
+        forkserver = multiprocessing.forkserver._forkserver
+        self.addCleanup(self._ctx.set_forkserver_preload,
+                        forkserver._preload_modules)
+        self.addCleanup(forkserver._stop)  # Don't reuse the patched server.
+        forkserver._stop()  # Must be fresh.
+        self._ctx.set_forkserver_preload([mod_name])
+        r, w = self._ctx.Pipe(duplex=False)
+        self.addCleanup(r.close)
+        proc = self._ctx.Process(
+                target=self.send_child_sigint_state, args=(w, mod_name))
+        proc.start()
+        w.close()
+        proc.join()
+        self.assertEqual(proc.exitcode, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(r.recv(), (True, signal.SIG_DFL))
+
     @staticmethod
     def enq_sys_path_and_import(queue, mod_name):
         queue.put(sys.path)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-10-15-18-54-03.gh-issue-159418.-iY5r_.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-10-15-18-54-03.gh-issue-159418.-iY5r_.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000000..97a5b0583f89f9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-10-15-18-54-03.gh-issue-159418.-iY5r_.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Fix :mod:`multiprocessing` ``forkserver`` child processes exiting with a
+:exc:`TypeError` when :data:`~signal.SIGINT` had a handler installed outside
+of Python, for example by a native library loaded with ``LD_PRELOAD``. Such
+a signal is now reset to :data:`~signal.SIG_DFL` in the child.