diff --git a/kernel/exit.c b/kernel/exit.c
index e10de9836dd7..e6d8ba1cd2e2 100644
--- a/kernel/exit.c
+++ b/kernel/exit.c
@@ -719,6 +719,7 @@ 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) &&