spin_unlock(&sdev->ud.lock);
 
-               sdev->ud.tcp_rx = kthread_run(stub_rx_loop, &sdev->ud, "stub_rx");
-               sdev->ud.tcp_tx = kthread_run(stub_tx_loop, &sdev->ud, "stub_tx");
+               sdev->ud.tcp_rx = kthread_get_run(stub_rx_loop, &sdev->ud, "stub_rx");
+               sdev->ud.tcp_tx = kthread_get_run(stub_tx_loop, &sdev->ud, "stub_tx");
 
                spin_lock(&sdev->ud.lock);
                sdev->ud.status = SDEV_ST_USED;
        }
 
        /* 1. stop threads */
-       if (ud->tcp_rx && !task_is_dead(ud->tcp_rx))
-               kthread_stop(ud->tcp_rx);
-       if (ud->tcp_tx && !task_is_dead(ud->tcp_tx))
-               kthread_stop(ud->tcp_tx);
+       if (ud->tcp_rx)
+               kthread_stop_put(ud->tcp_rx);
+       if (ud->tcp_tx)
+               kthread_stop_put(ud->tcp_tx);
 
        /*
         * 2. close the socket
 
        } eh_ops;
 };
 
+#define kthread_get_run(threadfn, data, namefmt, ...)                     \
+({                                                                        \
+       struct task_struct *__k                                            \
+               = kthread_create(threadfn, data, namefmt, ## __VA_ARGS__); \
+       if (!IS_ERR(__k)) {                                                \
+               get_task_struct(__k);                                      \
+               wake_up_process(__k);                                      \
+       }                                                                  \
+       __k;                                                               \
+})
+
+#define kthread_stop_put(k)            \
+       do {                            \
+               kthread_stop(k);        \
+               put_task_struct(k);     \
+       } while (0)
+
 /* usbip_common.c */
 void usbip_dump_urb(struct urb *purb);
 void usbip_dump_header(struct usbip_header *pdu);
 
        }
 
        /* kill threads related to this sdev, if v.c. exists */
-       if (vdev->ud.tcp_rx && !task_is_dead(vdev->ud.tcp_rx))
-               kthread_stop(vdev->ud.tcp_rx);
-       if (vdev->ud.tcp_tx && !task_is_dead(vdev->ud.tcp_tx))
-               kthread_stop(vdev->ud.tcp_tx);
+       if (vdev->ud.tcp_rx)
+               kthread_stop_put(vdev->ud.tcp_rx);
+       if (vdev->ud.tcp_tx)
+               kthread_stop_put(vdev->ud.tcp_tx);
 
        pr_info("stop threads\n");
 
 
        spin_unlock(&the_controller->lock);
        /* end the lock */
 
-       vdev->ud.tcp_rx = kthread_run(vhci_rx_loop, &vdev->ud, "vhci_rx");
-       vdev->ud.tcp_tx = kthread_run(vhci_tx_loop, &vdev->ud, "vhci_tx");
+       vdev->ud.tcp_rx = kthread_get_run(vhci_rx_loop, &vdev->ud, "vhci_rx");
+       vdev->ud.tcp_tx = kthread_get_run(vhci_tx_loop, &vdev->ud, "vhci_tx");
 
        rh_port_connect(rhport, speed);