diff --git a/src/client/Client.js b/src/client/Client.js
index 4b335e88a..77f0682c2 100644
--- a/src/client/Client.js
+++ b/src/client/Client.js
@@ -70,11 +70,10 @@ class Client extends BaseClient {
     this.voice = !browser ? new ClientVoiceManager(this) : null;
 
     /**
-     * The shard helpers for the client
-     * (only if the process was spawned as a child, such as from a {@link ShardingManager})
+     * Shard helpers for the client (only if the process was spawned from a {@link ShardingManager})
      * @type {?ShardClientUtil}
      */
-    this.shard = !browser && process.send ? ShardClientUtil.singleton(this) : null;
+    this.shard = !browser && process.env.SHARDING_MANAGER ? ShardClientUtil.singleton(this) : null;
 
     /**
      * All of the {@link User} objects that have been cached at any point, mapped by their IDs
diff --git a/src/sharding/Shard.js b/src/sharding/Shard.js
index 0e44f91a2..98bafff2e 100644
--- a/src/sharding/Shard.js
+++ b/src/sharding/Shard.js
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class Shard extends EventEmitter {
      * @type {Object}
      */
     this.env = Object.assign({}, process.env, {
+      SHARDING_MANAGER: true,
       SHARD_ID: this.id,
       SHARD_COUNT: this.manager.totalShards,
       CLIENT_TOKEN: this.manager.token,