diff --git a/kernel/futex.c b/kernel/futex.c
index 46a81e611065..4f9d7a4b6dbf 100644
--- a/kernel/futex.c
+++ b/kernel/futex.c
@@ -1182,11 +1182,11 @@ static int handle_exit_race(u32 __user *uaddr, u32 uval,
 	u32 uval2;
 
 	/*
-	 * If the futex exit state is not yet FUTEX_STATE_DEAD, wait
-	 * for it to finish.
+	 * If the futex exit state is not yet FUTEX_STATE_DEAD, tell the
+	 * caller that the alleged owner is busy.
 	 */
 	if (tsk && tsk->futex_state != FUTEX_STATE_DEAD)
-		return -EAGAIN;
+		return -EBUSY;
 
 	/*
 	 * Reread the user space value to handle the following situation:
@@ -2092,12 +2092,13 @@ retry_private:
 			if (!ret)
 				goto retry;
 			goto out;
+		case -EBUSY:
 		case -EAGAIN:
 			/*
 			 * Two reasons for this:
-			 * - Owner is exiting and we just wait for the
+			 * - EBUSY: Owner is exiting and we just wait for the
 			 *   exit to complete.
-			 * - The user space value changed.
+			 * - EAGAIN: The user space value changed.
 			 */
 			double_unlock_hb(hb1, hb2);
 			hb_waiters_dec(hb2);
@@ -2843,12 +2844,13 @@ retry_private:
 			goto out_unlock_put_key;
 		case -EFAULT:
 			goto uaddr_faulted;
+		case -EBUSY:
 		case -EAGAIN:
 			/*
 			 * Two reasons for this:
-			 * - Task is exiting and we just wait for the
+			 * - EBUSY: Task is exiting and we just wait for the
 			 *   exit to complete.
-			 * - The user space value changed.
+			 * - EAGAIN: The user space value changed.
 			 */
 			queue_unlock(hb);
 			put_futex_key(&q.key);