diff --git a/kernel/posix-cpu-timers.c b/kernel/posix-cpu-timers.c
index bf2a6502860a..d5dbef5e89e6 100644
--- a/kernel/posix-cpu-timers.c
+++ b/kernel/posix-cpu-timers.c
@@ -1272,10 +1272,6 @@ static inline int fastpath_timer_check(struct task_struct *tsk)
 {
 	struct signal_struct *sig;
 
-	/* tsk == current, ensure it is safe to use ->signal/sighand */
-	if (unlikely(tsk->exit_state))
-		return 0;
-
 	if (!task_cputime_zero(&tsk->cputime_expires)) {
 		struct task_cputime task_sample = {
 			.utime = tsk->utime,
@@ -1308,6 +1304,7 @@ void run_posix_cpu_timers(struct task_struct *tsk)
 {
 	LIST_HEAD(firing);
 	struct k_itimer *timer, *next;
+	unsigned long flags;
 
 	BUG_ON(!irqs_disabled());
 
@@ -1318,7 +1315,8 @@ void run_posix_cpu_timers(struct task_struct *tsk)
 	if (!fastpath_timer_check(tsk))
 		return;
 
-	spin_lock(&tsk->sighand->siglock);
+	if (!lock_task_sighand(tsk, &flags))
+		return;
 	/*
 	 * Here we take off tsk->signal->cpu_timers[N] and
 	 * tsk->cpu_timers[N] all the timers that are firing, and
@@ -1340,7 +1338,7 @@ void run_posix_cpu_timers(struct task_struct *tsk)
 	 * that gets the timer lock before we do will give it up and
 	 * spin until we've taken care of that timer below.
 	 */
-	spin_unlock(&tsk->sighand->siglock);
+	unlock_task_sighand(tsk, &flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * Now that all the timers on our list have the firing flag,