diff --git a/python/cocoindex/subprocess_exec.py b/python/cocoindex/subprocess_exec.py
index ff8553d50..a64268aa0 100644
--- a/python/cocoindex/subprocess_exec.py
+++ b/python/cocoindex/subprocess_exec.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 from .user_app_loader import load_user_app
 from .runtime import execution_context
 import logging
+import multiprocessing as mp
 
 WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_SECONDS = 10.0
 
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ def _get_pool() -> ProcessPoolExecutor:
                 max_workers=1,
                 initializer=_subprocess_init,
                 initargs=(_user_apps, os.getpid()),
+                mp_context=mp.get_context("spawn"),
             )
         return _pool
 
@@ -69,6 +71,7 @@ def _restart_pool(old_pool: ProcessPoolExecutor | None = None) -> None:
             max_workers=1,
             initializer=_subprocess_init,
             initargs=(_user_apps, os.getpid()),
+            mp_context=mp.get_context("spawn"),
         )
         if prev_pool is not None:
             # Best-effort shutdown of previous pool; letting exceptions bubble up
@@ -124,8 +127,19 @@ def _watch() -> None:
 
 def _subprocess_init(user_apps: list[str], parent_pid: int) -> None:
     _start_parent_watchdog(parent_pid)
+
+    # In case any user app is already in this subprocess, e.g. the subprocess is forked, we need to avoid loading it again.
+    with _pool_lock:
+        already_loaded_apps = set(_user_apps)
+
+    loaded_apps = []
     for app_target in user_apps:
-        load_user_app(app_target)
+        if app_target not in already_loaded_apps:
+            load_user_app(app_target)
+            loaded_apps.append(app_target)
+
+    with _pool_lock:
+        _user_apps.extend(loaded_apps)
 
 
 class _OnceResult: