diff --git a/kernel/exit.c b/kernel/exit.c
index e0f6e18..bbc2253 100644
--- a/kernel/exit.c
+++ b/kernel/exit.c
@@ -160,7 +160,10 @@
 	int zap_leader;
 repeat:
 	tracehook_prepare_release_task(p);
-	atomic_dec(&p->cred->user->processes);
+	/* don't need to get the RCU readlock here - the process is dead and
+	 * can't be modifying its own credentials */
+	atomic_dec(&__task_cred(p)->user->processes);
+
 	proc_flush_task(p);
 	write_lock_irq(&tasklist_lock);
 	tracehook_finish_release_task(p);
@@ -1267,12 +1270,12 @@
 	unsigned long state;
 	int retval, status, traced;
 	pid_t pid = task_pid_vnr(p);
+	uid_t uid = __task_cred(p)->uid;
 
 	if (!likely(options & WEXITED))
 		return 0;
 
 	if (unlikely(options & WNOWAIT)) {
-		uid_t uid = p->cred->uid;
 		int exit_code = p->exit_code;
 		int why, status;
 
@@ -1393,7 +1396,7 @@
 	if (!retval && infop)
 		retval = put_user(pid, &infop->si_pid);
 	if (!retval && infop)
-		retval = put_user(p->cred->uid, &infop->si_uid);
+		retval = put_user(uid, &infop->si_uid);
 	if (!retval)
 		retval = pid;
 
@@ -1458,7 +1461,8 @@
 	if (!unlikely(options & WNOWAIT))
 		p->exit_code = 0;
 
-	uid = p->cred->uid;
+	/* don't need the RCU readlock here as we're holding a spinlock */
+	uid = __task_cred(p)->uid;
 unlock_sig:
 	spin_unlock_irq(&p->sighand->siglock);
 	if (!exit_code)
@@ -1532,10 +1536,10 @@
 	}
 	if (!unlikely(options & WNOWAIT))
 		p->signal->flags &= ~SIGNAL_STOP_CONTINUED;
+	uid = __task_cred(p)->uid;
 	spin_unlock_irq(&p->sighand->siglock);
 
 	pid = task_pid_vnr(p);
-	uid = p->cred->uid;
 	get_task_struct(p);
 	read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);