diff --git a/include/linux/ptrace.h b/include/linux/ptrace.h
index cc79eff..987a73a 100644
--- a/include/linux/ptrace.h
+++ b/include/linux/ptrace.h
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 extern void __ptrace_link(struct task_struct *child,
 			  struct task_struct *new_parent);
 extern void __ptrace_unlink(struct task_struct *child);
-extern void exit_ptrace(struct task_struct *tracer);
+extern void exit_ptrace(struct task_struct *tracer, struct list_head *dead);
 #define PTRACE_MODE_READ	0x01
 #define PTRACE_MODE_ATTACH	0x02
 #define PTRACE_MODE_NOAUDIT	0x04
diff --git a/kernel/exit.c b/kernel/exit.c
index 772e917..9c9526d 100644
--- a/kernel/exit.c
+++ b/kernel/exit.c
@@ -553,13 +553,11 @@
 	LIST_HEAD(dead_children);
 
 	write_lock_irq(&tasklist_lock);
-	/*
-	 * Note that exit_ptrace() and find_new_reaper() might
-	 * drop tasklist_lock and reacquire it.
-	 */
-	exit_ptrace(father);
-	reaper = find_new_reaper(father);
+	if (unlikely(!list_empty(&father->ptraced)))
+		exit_ptrace(father, &dead_children);
 
+	/* Can drop and reacquire tasklist_lock */
+	reaper = find_new_reaper(father);
 	list_for_each_entry(p, &father->children, sibling) {
 		for_each_thread(p, t) {
 			t->real_parent = reaper;
diff --git a/kernel/ptrace.c b/kernel/ptrace.c
index 54e7522..1eb9d90 100644
--- a/kernel/ptrace.c
+++ b/kernel/ptrace.c
@@ -485,36 +485,19 @@
 
 /*
  * Detach all tasks we were using ptrace on. Called with tasklist held
- * for writing, and returns with it held too. But note it can release
- * and reacquire the lock.
+ * for writing.
  */
-void exit_ptrace(struct task_struct *tracer)
-	__releases(&tasklist_lock)
-	__acquires(&tasklist_lock)
+void exit_ptrace(struct task_struct *tracer, struct list_head *dead)
 {
 	struct task_struct *p, *n;
-	LIST_HEAD(ptrace_dead);
-
-	if (likely(list_empty(&tracer->ptraced)))
-		return;
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(p, n, &tracer->ptraced, ptrace_entry) {
 		if (unlikely(p->ptrace & PT_EXITKILL))
 			send_sig_info(SIGKILL, SEND_SIG_FORCED, p);
 
 		if (__ptrace_detach(tracer, p))
-			list_add(&p->ptrace_entry, &ptrace_dead);
+			list_add(&p->ptrace_entry, dead);
 	}
-
-	write_unlock_irq(&tasklist_lock);
-	BUG_ON(!list_empty(&tracer->ptraced));
-
-	list_for_each_entry_safe(p, n, &ptrace_dead, ptrace_entry) {
-		list_del_init(&p->ptrace_entry);
-		release_task(p);
-	}
-
-	write_lock_irq(&tasklist_lock);
 }
 
 int ptrace_readdata(struct task_struct *tsk, unsigned long src, char __user *dst, int len)