diff --git a/kernel/pid_namespace.c b/kernel/pid_namespace.c
index ea567b78d1aa..598f1eec9826 100644
--- a/kernel/pid_namespace.c
+++ b/kernel/pid_namespace.c
@@ -179,9 +179,12 @@ void zap_pid_ns_processes(struct pid_namespace *pid_ns)
 		rc = sys_wait4(-1, NULL, __WALL, NULL);
 	} while (rc != -ECHILD);
 
-
-	/* Child reaper for the pid namespace is going away */
-	pid_ns->child_reaper = NULL;
+	/*
+	 * We can not clear ->child_reaper or leave it alone.
+	 * There may by stealth EXIT_DEAD tasks on ->children,
+	 * forget_original_parent() must move them somewhere.
+	 */
+	pid_ns->child_reaper = init_pid_ns.child_reaper;
 	acct_exit_ns(pid_ns);
 	return;
 }