diff --git a/proc/process.c b/proc/process.c
index 0c90f9f76..28af268d0 100644
--- a/proc/process.c
+++ b/proc/process.c
@@ -1503,6 +1503,12 @@ int proc_vfork(void)
 		(void)vm_objectPut(spawn->object);
 		ret = spawn->state;
 		vm_kfree(spawn);
+		if ((ret < 0) && (posix_getppid(pid) >= 0)) {
+			/* if child managed to register itself within posix subsystem before failure,
+			 * wait for its complete death and cleanup its posix metadata.
+			 */
+			(void)posix_waitpid(pid, NULL, 0);
+		}
 		return (ret < 0) ? ret : pid;
 	}
 
diff --git a/vm/amap.c b/vm/amap.c
index b9bd1e1a8..13fecd17d 100644
--- a/vm/amap.c
+++ b/vm/amap.c
@@ -118,8 +118,6 @@ amap_t *amap_create(amap_t *amap, size_t *offset, size_t size)
 			(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
 			return amap;
 		}
-
-		amap->refs--;
 	}
 
 	/* Allocate anon pointer arrays in chunks
@@ -151,6 +149,7 @@ amap_t *amap_create(amap_t *amap, size_t *offset, size_t size)
 	}
 
 	if (amap != NULL) {
+		amap->refs--;
 		(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
 	}
 
@@ -226,9 +225,9 @@ static int amap_unmap(vm_map_t *map, void *v)
 }
 
 
-page_t *amap_page(vm_map_t *map, amap_t *amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, size_t aoffs, u64 offs, vm_prot_t prot)
+int amap_page(vm_map_t *map, amap_t *amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, size_t aoffs, u64 offs, vm_prot_t prot, page_t **res)
 {
-	page_t *p = NULL;
+	int err = EOK;
 	anon_t *a;
 	void *v, *w;
 
@@ -237,61 +236,60 @@ page_t *amap_page(vm_map_t *map, amap_t *amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, size
 	a = amap->anons[aoffs / SIZE_PAGE];
 	if (a != NULL) {
 		(void)proc_lockSet(&a->lock);
-		p = a->page;
+		*res = a->page;
 		if (!(a->refs > 1 && (prot & PROT_WRITE) != 0U)) {
 			(void)proc_lockClear(&a->lock);
 			(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
-			return p;
+			return EOK;
 		}
-		a->refs--;
 	}
 	else {
-		p = vm_objectPage(map, &amap, o, vaddr, offs);
-		if (p == NULL) {
+		err = vm_objectPage(map, &amap, o, vaddr, offs, res);
+		if ((err != EOK) || (*res == NULL)) {
 			/* amap could be invalidated while fetching from the object's store */
 			if (amap != NULL) {
 				(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
 			}
-			return NULL;
+			return err;
 		}
 		else if (o != NULL && (prot & PROT_WRITE) == 0U) {
 			(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
-			return p;
+			return EOK;
 		}
 		else {
 			/* No action required */
 		}
 	}
 
-	v = amap_map(map, p);
+	v = amap_map(map, *res);
 	if (v == NULL) {
 		if (a != NULL) {
 			(void)proc_lockClear(&a->lock);
 		}
 		(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
-		return NULL;
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
 	if (a != NULL || o != NULL) {
 		/* Copy from object or shared anon */
-		p = vm_pageAlloc(SIZE_PAGE, PAGE_OWNER_APP);
-		if (p == NULL) {
+		*res = vm_pageAlloc(SIZE_PAGE, PAGE_OWNER_APP);
+		if (*res == NULL) {
 			(void)amap_unmap(map, v);
 			if (a != NULL) {
 				(void)proc_lockClear(&a->lock);
 			}
 			(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
-			return NULL;
+			return -ENOMEM;
 		}
-		w = amap_map(map, p);
+		w = amap_map(map, *res);
 		if (w == NULL) {
-			vm_pageFree(p);
+			vm_pageFree(*res);
 			(void)amap_unmap(map, v);
 			if (a != NULL) {
 				(void)proc_lockClear(&a->lock);
 			}
 			(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
-			return NULL;
+			return -ENOMEM;
 		}
 		hal_memcpy(w, v, SIZE_PAGE);
 		(void)amap_unmap(map, w);
@@ -303,17 +301,19 @@ page_t *amap_page(vm_map_t *map, amap_t *amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, size
 	(void)amap_unmap(map, v);
 
 	if (a != NULL) {
+		a->refs--;
 		(void)proc_lockClear(&a->lock);
 	}
 
-	amap->anons[aoffs / SIZE_PAGE] = anon_new(p);
+	amap->anons[aoffs / SIZE_PAGE] = anon_new(*res);
 	if (amap->anons[aoffs / SIZE_PAGE] == NULL) {
-		vm_pageFree(p);
-		p = NULL;
+		vm_pageFree(*res);
+		*res = NULL;
+		err = -ENOMEM;
 	}
 	(void)proc_lockClear(&amap->lock);
 
-	return p;
+	return err;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/vm/amap.h b/vm/amap.h
index 3fd2244a3..0f2277fe2 100644
--- a/vm/amap.h
+++ b/vm/amap.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ typedef struct _amap_t {
 } amap_t;
 
 
-page_t *amap_page(struct _vm_map_t *map, amap_t *amap, struct _vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, size_t aoffs, u64 offs, vm_prot_t prot);
+int amap_page(struct _vm_map_t *map, amap_t *amap, struct _vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, size_t aoffs, u64 offs, vm_prot_t prot, page_t **res);
 
 
 void amap_clear(amap_t *amap, size_t offset, size_t size);
diff --git a/vm/map.c b/vm/map.c
index 49e476e2b..4148382ca 100644
--- a/vm/map.c
+++ b/vm/map.c
@@ -624,11 +624,7 @@ void *_vm_mmap(vm_map_t *map, void *vaddr, page_t *p, size_t size, vm_prot_t pro
 
 	for (w = vaddr; w < vaddr + size; w += SIZE_PAGE) {
 		if (_map_force(map, e, w, prot) != 0) {
-			amap_putanons(e->amap, e->aoffs, (ptr_t)w - (ptr_t)vaddr);
-
-			(void)pmap_remove(&map->pmap, vaddr, (void *)((ptr_t)w + SIZE_PAGE));
-
-			_entry_put(map, e);
+			(void)_vm_munmap(map, vaddr, size);
 			return NULL;
 		}
 	}
@@ -741,15 +737,18 @@ static int _map_force(vm_map_t *map, map_entry_t *e, void *paddr, vm_prot_t prot
 	u64 eoffs;
 	page_t *p = NULL;
 	vm_prot_t flagsCheck = map_checkProt(e->prot, prot);
+	amap_t *amapNew;
+	int err;
 
 	if (flagsCheck != 0U) {
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	if ((((prot & PROT_WRITE) != 0U) && ((e->flags & MAP_NEEDSCOPY) != 0U)) || ((e->object == NULL) && (e->amap == NULL))) {
-		e->amap = amap_create(e->amap, &e->aoffs, e->size);
-		if (e->amap == NULL) {
+		amapNew = amap_create(e->amap, &e->aoffs, e->size);
+		if (amapNew == NULL) {
 			return -ENOMEM;
 		}
+		e->amap = amapNew;
 
 		e->flags &= ~MAP_NEEDSCOPY;
 	}
@@ -758,10 +757,14 @@ static int _map_force(vm_map_t *map, map_entry_t *e, void *paddr, vm_prot_t prot
 	eoffs = ((e->offs == VM_OFFS_MAX) ? VM_OFFS_MAX : (e->offs + offs));
 
 	if (e->amap == NULL) {
-		p = vm_objectPage(map, NULL, e->object, paddr, eoffs);
+		err = vm_objectPage(map, NULL, e->object, paddr, eoffs, &p);
 	}
 	else { /* if (e->object != VM_OBJ_PHYSMEM) FIXME disabled until memory objects are created for syspage progs */
-		p = amap_page(map, e->amap, e->object, paddr, e->aoffs + offs, eoffs, prot);
+		err = amap_page(map, e->amap, e->object, paddr, e->aoffs + offs, eoffs, prot, &p);
+	}
+
+	if (err != EOK) {
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	attr = vm_protToAttr(prot) | vm_flagsToAttr(e->flags);
@@ -1120,6 +1123,7 @@ int vm_mapCopy(process_t *proc, vm_map_t *dst, vm_map_t *src)
 	rbnode_t *n;
 	map_entry_t *e, *f;
 	size_t offs;
+	int err = EOK;
 
 	(void)proc_lockSet2(&src->lock, &dst->lock);
 
@@ -1153,18 +1157,23 @@ int vm_mapCopy(process_t *proc, vm_map_t *dst, vm_map_t *src)
 
 		if ((proc == NULL) || (proc->lazy == 0U)) {
 			for (offs = 0; offs < f->size; offs += SIZE_PAGE) {
-				if (_map_force(dst, f, (void *)((ptr_t)f->vaddr + offs), f->prot) != 0) {
-					(void)proc_lockClear(&dst->lock);
-					(void)proc_lockClear(&src->lock);
-					return -ENOMEM;
-				}
-
-				if (_map_force(src, e, (void *)((ptr_t)e->vaddr + offs), e->prot) != 0) {
-					(void)proc_lockClear(&dst->lock);
-					(void)proc_lockClear(&src->lock);
-					return -ENOMEM;
+				err = _map_force(dst, f, (void *)((ptr_t)f->vaddr + offs), f->prot);
+				if (err != EOK) {
+					break;
 				}
 			}
+			if (err != EOK) {
+				(void)proc_lockClear(&dst->lock);
+				/* Destroy map before _map_force on source map to ensure refcounts are cleared and avoid unnecessary copies in amap_page */
+				vm_mapDestroy(proc, dst);
+			}
+			for (offs = 0; offs < e->size; offs += SIZE_PAGE) {
+				LIB_ASSERT_ALWAYS(_map_force(src, e, (void *)((ptr_t)e->vaddr + offs), e->prot) == EOK, "Broken src map during mapCopy");
+			}
+			if (err != EOK) {
+				(void)proc_lockClear(&src->lock);
+				return err;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/vm/object.c b/vm/object.c
index 2be97ba92..1bc92ba1f 100644
--- a/vm/object.c
+++ b/vm/object.c
@@ -207,33 +207,36 @@ static page_t *object_fetch(oid_t oid, u64 offs)
 }
 
 
-page_t *vm_objectPage(vm_map_t *map, amap_t **amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, u64 offs)
+int vm_objectPage(vm_map_t *map, amap_t **amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, u64 offs, page_t **res)
 {
-	page_t *p;
+	int err;
 
 	if (o == NULL) {
-		return vm_pageAlloc(SIZE_PAGE, PAGE_OWNER_APP);
+		*res = vm_pageAlloc(SIZE_PAGE, PAGE_OWNER_APP);
+		return (*res != NULL) ? EOK : -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
 	if (o == VM_OBJ_PHYSMEM) {
 		/* parasoft-suppress-next-line MISRAC2012-RULE_14_3 "Check is needed on targets where sizeof(offs) != sizeof(addr_t)" */
 		if (offs > (addr_t)-1) {
-			return NULL;
+			return -ERANGE;
 		}
-		return _page_get((addr_t)offs);
+		*res = _page_get((addr_t)offs);
+		/* res can be NULL, when address outside of defined physical maps is used */
+		return EOK;
 	}
 
 	(void)proc_lockSet(&object_common.lock);
 
 	if (offs >= o->size) {
 		(void)proc_lockClear(&object_common.lock);
-		return NULL;
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	p = o->pages[offs / SIZE_PAGE];
-	if (p != NULL) {
+	*res = o->pages[offs / SIZE_PAGE];
+	if (*res != NULL) {
 		(void)proc_lockClear(&object_common.lock);
-		return p;
+		return EOK;
 	}
 
 	/* Fetch page from backing store */
@@ -246,32 +249,33 @@ page_t *vm_objectPage(vm_map_t *map, amap_t **amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr,
 
 	(void)proc_lockClear(&map->lock);
 
-	p = object_fetch(o->oid, offs);
+	*res = object_fetch(o->oid, offs);
 
-	if (vm_lockVerify(map, amap, o, vaddr, offs) != 0) {
-		if (p != NULL) {
-			vm_pageFree(p);
+	err = vm_lockVerify(map, amap, o, vaddr, offs);
+	if (err != 0) {
+		if (*res != NULL) {
+			vm_pageFree(*res);
 		}
 
-		return NULL;
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	(void)proc_lockSet(&object_common.lock);
 
 	if (o->pages[offs / SIZE_PAGE] != NULL) {
 		/* Someone loaded a page in the meantime, use it */
-		if (p != NULL) {
-			vm_pageFree(p);
+		if (*res != NULL) {
+			vm_pageFree(*res);
 		}
 
-		p = o->pages[offs / SIZE_PAGE];
+		*res = o->pages[offs / SIZE_PAGE];
 		(void)proc_lockClear(&object_common.lock);
-		return p;
+		return EOK;
 	}
 
-	o->pages[offs / SIZE_PAGE] = p;
+	o->pages[offs / SIZE_PAGE] = *res;
 	(void)proc_lockClear(&object_common.lock);
-	return p;
+	return EOK;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/vm/object.h b/vm/object.h
index 9faae0a42..585e4d85e 100644
--- a/vm/object.h
+++ b/vm/object.h
@@ -45,7 +45,11 @@ int vm_objectGet(vm_object_t **o, oid_t oid);
 int vm_objectPut(vm_object_t *o);
 
 
-page_t *vm_objectPage(struct _vm_map_t *map, amap_t **amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, u64 offs);
+/* Fills appropriate page_t struct into *res,
+ * allocates new page when o == NULL
+ * Note that when o == VM_OBJ_PHYSMEM and offs is outside of defined physical maps, then *res will be NULL even though mapping can still be made
+ */
+int vm_objectPage(struct _vm_map_t *map, amap_t **amap, vm_object_t *o, void *vaddr, u64 offs, page_t **res);
 
 
 vm_object_t *vm_objectContiguous(size_t size);
diff --git a/vm/page.h b/vm/page.h
index 9b1841379..28acc6f51 100644
--- a/vm/page.h
+++ b/vm/page.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ page_t *vm_pageAlloc(size_t size, vm_flags_t flags);
 void vm_pageFree(page_t *p);
 
 
+/* returns NULL when addr is outside of defined physical maps (MMU) */
 page_t *_page_get(addr_t addr);