diff --git a/lib/syscall.c b/lib/syscall.c
index e30e03932480..63239e097b13 100644
--- a/lib/syscall.c
+++ b/lib/syscall.c
@@ -7,9 +7,19 @@ static int collect_syscall(struct task_struct *target, long *callno,
 			   unsigned long args[6], unsigned int maxargs,
 			   unsigned long *sp, unsigned long *pc)
 {
-	struct pt_regs *regs = task_pt_regs(target);
-	if (unlikely(!regs))
+	struct pt_regs *regs;
+
+	if (!try_get_task_stack(target)) {
+		/* Task has no stack, so the task isn't in a syscall. */
+		*callno = -1;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	regs = task_pt_regs(target);
+	if (unlikely(!regs)) {
+		put_task_stack(target);
 		return -EAGAIN;
+	}
 
 	*sp = user_stack_pointer(regs);
 	*pc = instruction_pointer(regs);
@@ -18,6 +28,7 @@ static int collect_syscall(struct task_struct *target, long *callno,
 	if (*callno != -1L && maxargs > 0)
 		syscall_get_arguments(target, regs, 0, maxargs, args);
 
+	put_task_stack(target);
 	return 0;
 }