diff --git a/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py b/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
index c91891ff162c2d..14b465c3a08bf8 100644
--- a/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
+++ b/Lib/multiprocessing/forkserver.py
@@ -146,9 +146,9 @@ def ensure_running(self):
                    'main(%d, %d, %r, **%r)')
 
             if self._preload_modules:
-                desired_keys = {'main_path', 'sys_path'}
+                desired_keys = {'main_path': 'init_main_from_path', 'sys_path': 'sys_path'}
                 data = spawn.get_preparation_data('ignore')
-                main_kws = {x: y for x, y in data.items() if x in desired_keys}
+                main_kws = {x: data[y] for x, y in desired_keys.items() if y in data}
             else:
                 main_kws = {}
 
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-08-23-00-59-59.gh-issue-137996.6pkMXl.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-08-23-00-59-59.gh-issue-137996.6pkMXl.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..e70a5b1135bcae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-08-23-00-59-59.gh-issue-137996.6pkMXl.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+:mod:`multiprocessing`: Fix preloading of ``__main__`` for
+:ref:`forkserver <multiprocessing-start-method-forkserver>`
+start method.