diff --git a/kernel/exit.c b/kernel/exit.c
index 7a8311422930..576eae233b53 100644
--- a/kernel/exit.c
+++ b/kernel/exit.c
@@ -744,6 +744,38 @@ static int ignoring_children(struct sighand_struct *sigh)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+/* Returns nonzero if the tracee should be released. */
+int __ptrace_detach(struct task_struct *tracer, struct task_struct *p)
+{
+	__ptrace_unlink(p);
+
+	if (p->exit_state != EXIT_ZOMBIE)
+		return 0;
+	/*
+	 * If it's a zombie, our attachedness prevented normal
+	 * parent notification or self-reaping.  Do notification
+	 * now if it would have happened earlier.  If it should
+	 * reap itself we return true.
+	 *
+	 * If it's our own child, there is no notification to do.
+	 * But if our normal children self-reap, then this child
+	 * was prevented by ptrace and we must reap it now.
+	 */
+	if (!task_detached(p) && thread_group_empty(p)) {
+		if (!same_thread_group(p->real_parent, tracer))
+			do_notify_parent(p, p->exit_signal);
+		else if (ignoring_children(tracer->sighand))
+			p->exit_signal = -1;
+	}
+
+	if (!task_detached(p))
+		return 0;
+
+	/* Mark it as in the process of being reaped. */
+	p->exit_state = EXIT_DEAD;
+	return 1;
+}
+
 /*
  * Detach all tasks we were using ptrace on.
  * Any that need to be release_task'd are put on the @dead list.
@@ -755,36 +787,8 @@ static void ptrace_exit(struct task_struct *parent, struct list_head *dead)
 	struct task_struct *p, *n;
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(p, n, &parent->ptraced, ptrace_entry) {
-		__ptrace_unlink(p);
-
-		if (p->exit_state != EXIT_ZOMBIE)
-			continue;
-
-		/*
-		 * If it's a zombie, our attachedness prevented normal
-		 * parent notification or self-reaping.  Do notification
-		 * now if it would have happened earlier.  If it should
-		 * reap itself, add it to the @dead list.  We can't call
-		 * release_task() here because we already hold tasklist_lock.
-		 *
-		 * If it's our own child, there is no notification to do.
-		 * But if our normal children self-reap, then this child
-		 * was prevented by ptrace and we must reap it now.
-		 */
-		if (!task_detached(p) && thread_group_empty(p)) {
-			if (!same_thread_group(p->real_parent, parent))
-				do_notify_parent(p, p->exit_signal);
-			else if (ignoring_children(parent->sighand))
-				p->exit_signal = -1;
-		}
-
-		if (task_detached(p)) {
-			/*
-			 * Mark it as in the process of being reaped.
-			 */
-			p->exit_state = EXIT_DEAD;
+		if (__ptrace_detach(parent, p))
 			list_add(&p->ptrace_entry, dead);
-		}
 	}
 }