diff --git a/kernel/ptrace.c b/kernel/ptrace.c
index 134f34c..eb19111 100644
--- a/kernel/ptrace.c
+++ b/kernel/ptrace.c
@@ -97,10 +97,24 @@
 	spin_unlock(&child->sighand->siglock);
 }
 
-/*
- * Check that we have indeed attached to the thing..
+/**
+ * ptrace_check_attach - check whether ptracee is ready for ptrace operation
+ * @child: ptracee to check for
+ * @ignore_state: don't check whether @child is currently %TASK_TRACED
+ *
+ * Check whether @child is being ptraced by %current and ready for further
+ * ptrace operations.  If @ignore_state is %false, @child also should be in
+ * %TASK_TRACED state and on return the child is guaranteed to be traced
+ * and not executing.  If @ignore_state is %true, @child can be in any
+ * state.
+ *
+ * CONTEXT:
+ * Grabs and releases tasklist_lock and @child->sighand->siglock.
+ *
+ * RETURNS:
+ * 0 on success, -ESRCH if %child is not ready.
  */
-int ptrace_check_attach(struct task_struct *child, int kill)
+int ptrace_check_attach(struct task_struct *child, bool ignore_state)
 {
 	int ret = -ESRCH;
 
@@ -119,13 +133,13 @@
 		 */
 		spin_lock_irq(&child->sighand->siglock);
 		WARN_ON_ONCE(task_is_stopped(child));
-		if (task_is_traced(child) || kill)
+		if (task_is_traced(child) || ignore_state)
 			ret = 0;
 		spin_unlock_irq(&child->sighand->siglock);
 	}
 	read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);
 
-	if (!ret && !kill)
+	if (!ret && !ignore_state)
 		ret = wait_task_inactive(child, TASK_TRACED) ? 0 : -ESRCH;
 
 	/* All systems go.. */