Previous research has documented that gender equality in many dimensions has deteriorated in former socialist countries. In this study, we focus on the effect of controlling means of production on having male offspring in the context of post-socialist economic transition in China. As family names are still largely inherited through male lines, the desire to pass wealth, especially means of production, from one generation to another within family could lead to parents’ demand for having at least one son. As such, we hypothesise that, compared to employees, individuals controlling means of production in a market economy are more likely to have male offspring. Using a nationally representative longitudinal dataset and exploiting variation in the timing of controlling means of production, we provide empirical evidence for the hypothesis proposed. In addition, we show that the detected effect is only driven by men rather than women, which is consistent with the patrilineal inheritance story. While male private sector employers fulfill their desire for an heir by having more births, peasants who benefited from decollectivisation not only have more children but also practise sex selective abortions in higher order births. Our findings partially explain why the sex ratio at birth has become increasingly more skewed in the post-socialist China. They also imply an unintended consequence of China’s economic reform — the revival of son preference even in urban areas.