diff --git a/kernel/exit.c b/kernel/exit.c
index a75b6a7f458a..4436158a6d30 100644
--- a/kernel/exit.c
+++ b/kernel/exit.c
@@ -720,6 +720,7 @@ static void exit_notify(struct task_struct *tsk, int group_dead)
 	if (group_dead)
 		kill_orphaned_pgrp(tsk->group_leader, NULL);
 
+	tsk->exit_state = EXIT_ZOMBIE;
 	if (unlikely(tsk->ptrace)) {
 		int sig = thread_group_leader(tsk) &&
 				thread_group_empty(tsk) &&