diff --git a/fs/jbd/journal.c b/fs/jbd/journal.c
index e1eb7e999ae8..46fe7439fb91 100644
--- a/fs/jbd/journal.c
+++ b/fs/jbd/journal.c
@@ -210,10 +210,16 @@ end_loop:
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void journal_start_thread(journal_t *journal)
+static int journal_start_thread(journal_t *journal)
 {
-	kthread_run(kjournald, journal, "kjournald");
+	struct task_struct *t;
+
+	t = kthread_run(kjournald, journal, "kjournald");
+	if (IS_ERR(t))
+		return PTR_ERR(t);
+
 	wait_event(journal->j_wait_done_commit, journal->j_task != 0);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void journal_kill_thread(journal_t *journal)
@@ -839,8 +845,7 @@ static int journal_reset(journal_t *journal)
 
 	/* Add the dynamic fields and write it to disk. */
 	journal_update_superblock(journal, 1);
-	journal_start_thread(journal);
-	return 0;
+	return journal_start_thread(journal);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/fs/jbd2/journal.c b/fs/jbd2/journal.c
index 6b3158ec9e2c..78d63b818f0b 100644
--- a/fs/jbd2/journal.c
+++ b/fs/jbd2/journal.c
@@ -210,10 +210,16 @@ end_loop:
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void jbd2_journal_start_thread(journal_t *journal)
+static int jbd2_journal_start_thread(journal_t *journal)
 {
-	kthread_run(kjournald2, journal, "kjournald2");
+	struct task_struct *t;
+
+	t = kthread_run(kjournald2, journal, "kjournald2");
+	if (IS_ERR(t))
+		return PTR_ERR(t);
+
 	wait_event(journal->j_wait_done_commit, journal->j_task != 0);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void journal_kill_thread(journal_t *journal)
@@ -839,8 +845,7 @@ static int journal_reset(journal_t *journal)
 
 	/* Add the dynamic fields and write it to disk. */
 	jbd2_journal_update_superblock(journal, 1);
-	jbd2_journal_start_thread(journal);
-	return 0;
+	return jbd2_journal_start_thread(journal);
 }
 
 /**