diff --git a/httpd-2.4.52/server/mpm/event/event.c b/httpd-2.4.52/server/mpm/event/event.c
index c2d53ff..977c89c 100644
--- a/httpd-2.4.52/server/mpm/event/event.c
+++ b/httpd-2.4.52/server/mpm/event/event.c
@@ -2766,7 +2766,7 @@ static int make_child(server_rec * s, int slot, int bucket)
 }
 
 /* start up a bunch of children */
-static void startup_children(int number_to_start)
+static int startup_children(int number_to_start)
 {
     int i;
 
@@ -2779,6 +2779,8 @@ static void startup_children(int number_to_start)
         }
         --number_to_start;
     }
+
+    return number_to_start;
 }
 
 static void perform_idle_server_maintenance(int child_bucket)
@@ -3090,8 +3092,7 @@ static void server_main_loop(int remaining_children_to_start)
              * generation of children needed to be reaped... so assume
              * they're all done, and pick up the slack if any is left.
              */
-            startup_children(remaining_children_to_start);
-            remaining_children_to_start = 0;
+            remaining_children_to_start = startup_children(remaining_children_to_start);
             /* In any event we really shouldn't do the code below because
              * few of the servers we just started are in the IDLE state
              * yet, so we'd mistakenly create an extra server.
@@ -3158,8 +3159,7 @@ static int event_run(apr_pool_t * _pconf, apr_pool_t * plog, server_rec * s)
         remaining_children_to_start = active_daemons_limit;
     }
     if (!retained->mpm->was_graceful) {
-        startup_children(remaining_children_to_start);
-        remaining_children_to_start = 0;
+        remaining_children_to_start = startup_children(remaining_children_to_start);
     }
     else {
         /* give the system some time to recover before kicking into