diff -Naurp linux-2.6.10-rc2.orig/fs/proc/array.c linux-2.6.10-rc2/fs/proc/array.c
--- linux-2.6.10-rc2.orig/fs/proc/array.c	2004-11-15 06:57:52.000000000 +0530
+++ linux-2.6.10-rc2/fs/proc/array.c	2004-12-08 12:54:40.000000000 +0530
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ static int do_task_stat(struct task_stru
 			stime += task->signal->stime;
 		}
 	}
-	ppid = task->pid ? task->group_leader->real_parent->tgid : 0;
+	ppid = pid_alive(task) ? task->group_leader->real_parent->tgid : 0;
 	read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);
 
 	if (!whole || num_threads<2)