diff --git a/external/opal-prd/opal-prd.c b/external/opal-prd/opal-prd.c
index 33ea5f5a8f6e..f2861611fe7a 100644
--- a/external/opal-prd/opal-prd.c
+++ b/external/opal-prd/opal-prd.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <sys/un.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
 
 #include <linux/ipmi.h>
 #include <linux/limits.h>
@@ -701,13 +702,40 @@ out:
 	return rc;
 }
 
+static int memory_error_worker(const char *sysfsfile, const char *type,
+			       uint64_t i_start_addr, uint64_t i_endAddr)
+{
+	int memfd, rc, n, ret = 0;
+	char buf[ADDR_STRING_SZ];
+	uint64_t addr;
+
+	memfd = open(sysfsfile, O_WRONLY);
+	if (memfd < 0) {
+		pr_log(LOG_CRIT, "MEM: Failed to offline memory! "
+				"Unable to open sysfs node %s: %m", sysfsfile);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	for (addr = i_start_addr; addr <= i_endAddr; addr += ctx->page_size) {
+		n = snprintf(buf, ADDR_STRING_SZ, "0x%lx", addr);
+		rc = write(memfd, buf, n);
+		if (rc != n) {
+			pr_log(LOG_CRIT, "MEM: Failed to offline memory! "
+					"page addr: %016lx type: %s: %m",
+				addr, type);
+			ret = rc;
+		}
+	}
+
+	close(memfd);
+	return ret;
+}
+
 int hservice_memory_error(uint64_t i_start_addr, uint64_t i_endAddr,
 		enum MemoryError_t i_errorType)
 {
 	const char *sysfsfile, *typestr;
-	char buf[ADDR_STRING_SZ];
-	int memfd, rc, n, ret = 0;
-	uint64_t addr;
+	pid_t pid;
 
 	switch(i_errorType) {
 	case MEMORY_ERROR_CE:
@@ -727,26 +755,21 @@ int hservice_memory_error(uint64_t i_start_addr, uint64_t i_endAddr,
 	pr_log(LOG_ERR, "MEM: Memory error: range %016lx-%016lx, type: %s",
 			i_start_addr, i_endAddr, typestr);
 
+	/*
+	 * HBRT expects the memory offlining process to happen in the background
+	 * after the notification is delivered.
+	 */
+	pid = fork();
+	if (pid > 0)
+		exit(memory_error_worker(sysfsfile, typestr, i_start_addr, i_endAddr));
 
-	memfd = open(sysfsfile, O_WRONLY);
-	if (memfd < 0) {
-		pr_log(LOG_CRIT, "MEM: Failed to offline memory! "
-				"Unable to open sysfs node %s: %m", sysfsfile);
+	if (pid < 0) {
+		perror("MEM: unable to fork worker to offline memory!\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	for (addr = i_start_addr; addr <= i_endAddr; addr += ctx->page_size) {
-		n = snprintf(buf, ADDR_STRING_SZ, "0x%lx", addr);
-		rc = write(memfd, buf, n);
-		if (rc != n) {
-			pr_log(LOG_CRIT, "MEM: Failed to offline memory! "
-					"page addr: %016lx type: %d: %m",
-				addr, i_errorType);
-			ret = rc;
-		}
-	}
-
-	return ret;
+	pr_log(LOG_INFO, "MEM: forked off %d to handle mem error\n", pid);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 uint64_t hservice_get_interface_capabilities(uint64_t set)
@@ -2003,6 +2026,13 @@ out_send:
 		free(send_msg);
 }
 
+volatile bool worker_terminated;
+
+void signchild_handler(int sig)
+{
+	worker_terminated = true;
+}
+
 static int run_attn_loop(struct opal_prd_ctx *ctx)
 {
 	struct pollfd pollfds[2];
@@ -2049,6 +2079,23 @@ static int run_attn_loop(struct opal_prd_ctx *ctx)
 		process_msgq(ctx);
 
 		rc = poll(pollfds, 2, -1);
+
+		if (worker_terminated) {
+			pid_t pid;
+
+			worker_terminated = false;
+			do {
+				pid = waitpid(-1, NULL, WNOHANG);
+				if (pid > 0) {
+					pr_log(LOG_DEBUG, "reaped %d\n", pid);
+				} else if (rc == -1 && errno != ECHILD) {
+					pr_log(LOG_ERR, "error %m while reaping\n");
+					break;
+				}
+			} while (pid > 0);
+
+			continue;
+		}
 		if (rc < 0) {
 			pr_log(LOG_ERR, "FW: event poll failed: %m");
 			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);