diff --git a/util/flash_ec b/util/flash_ec
index 5b05604d76..7635723296 100755
--- a/util/flash_ec
+++ b/util/flash_ec
@@ -341,13 +341,19 @@ function claim_pty() {
 		    "'cros_sdk --no-ns-pid' (see crbug.com/444931 for details)"
 	fi
 
-	FROZEN_PIDS=$(lsof -FR 2>/dev/null -- $1 | tr -d 'pR')
+	pids=$(lsof -FR 2>/dev/null -- $1 | tr -d 'pR')
+	FROZEN_PIDS=""
 
 	# reverse order to SIGSTOP parents before children
-	for pid in $(echo ${FROZEN_PIDS} | tac -s " "); do
-		info "Sending SIGSTOP to process ${pid}!"
-		sleep 0.02
-		kill -STOP ${pid}
+	for pid in $(echo ${pids} | tac -s " "); do
+		if ps -o cmd= "${pid}" | grep -qE "(servod|/sbin/init)"; then
+			info "Skip stopping servod or init: process ${pid}."
+		else
+			info "Sending SIGSTOP to process ${pid}!"
+			FROZEN_PIDS+=" ${pid}"
+			sleep 0.02
+			kill -STOP ${pid}
+		fi
 	done
 }