diff --git a/kernel/arch/i386/system.c b/kernel/arch/i386/system.c
index d54dc63a4..af7f4bcae 100644
--- a/kernel/arch/i386/system.c
+++ b/kernel/arch/i386/system.c
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ PRIVATE void ser_debug(int c)
 PRIVATE void printslot(struct proc *pp, int level)
 {
 	struct proc *depproc = NULL;
-	int dep = NONE;
+	endpoint_t dep;
 #define COL { int i; for(i = 0; i < level; i++) printf("> "); }
 
 	if(level >= NR_PROCS) {
@@ -331,15 +331,8 @@ PRIVATE void printslot(struct proc *pp, int level)
 		pp->p_sys_time, pp->p_cycles.hi, pp->p_cycles.lo, pp->p_seg.p_cr3,
 		rtsflagstr(pp->p_rts_flags), miscflagstr(pp->p_misc_flags));
 
-	if(pp->p_rts_flags & RTS_SENDING) {
-		dep = pp->p_sendto_e;
-		kprintf(" to: ");
-	} else if(pp->p_rts_flags & RTS_RECEIVING) {
-		dep = pp->p_getfrom_e;
-		kprintf(" from: ");
-	}
-
-	if(dep != NONE) {
+	if((dep = P_BLOCKEDON(pp)) != NONE) {
+		kprintf(" blocked on: ");
 		if(dep == ANY) {
 			kprintf(" ANY\n");
 		} else {
diff --git a/kernel/proc.c b/kernel/proc.c
index 612736b7b..92d39d2b5 100644
--- a/kernel/proc.c
+++ b/kernel/proc.c
@@ -511,6 +511,7 @@ proc_nr_t src_dst;				/* src or dst process */
 #endif
 
   while (src_dst != ANY) { 			/* check while process nr */
+      endpoint_t dep;
       xp = proc_addr(src_dst);			/* follow chain of processes */
 #if DEBUG_ENABLE_IPC_WARNINGS
       processes[group_size] = xp;
@@ -520,14 +521,13 @@ proc_nr_t src_dst;				/* src or dst process */
       /* Check whether the last process in the chain has a dependency. If it 
        * has not, the cycle cannot be closed and we are done.
        */
-      if (RTS_ISSET(xp, RTS_RECEIVING)) {	/* xp has dependency */
-	  if(xp->p_getfrom_e == ANY) src_dst = ANY;
-	  else okendpt(xp->p_getfrom_e, &src_dst);
-      } else if (RTS_ISSET(xp, RTS_SENDING)) {	/* xp has dependency */
-	  okendpt(xp->p_sendto_e, &src_dst);
-      } else {
-	  return(0);				/* not a deadlock */
-      }
+      if((dep = P_BLOCKEDON(xp)) == NONE)
+	return 0;
+
+      if(dep == ANY)
+	src_dst = ANY;
+      else
+	okendpt(dep, &src_dst);
 
       /* Now check if there is a cyclic dependency. For group sizes of two,  
        * a combination of SEND(REC) and RECEIVE is not fatal. Larger groups
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ int flags;
 
   if (RTS_ISSET(dst_ptr, RTS_NO_ENDPOINT))
   {
-	return EDSTDIED;
+	return EDEADSRCDST;
   }
 
   /* Check if 'dst' is blocked waiting for this message. The destination's 
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ int flags;
 	okendpt(src_e, &src_p);
 	if (RTS_ISSET(proc_addr(src_p), RTS_NO_ENDPOINT))
 	{
-		return ESRCDIED;
+		return EDEADSRCDST;
 	}
   }
 
@@ -958,7 +958,7 @@ PRIVATE int mini_senda(struct proc *caller_ptr, asynmsg_t *table, size_t size)
 		/* RTS_NO_ENDPOINT should be removed */
 		if (dst_ptr->p_rts_flags & RTS_NO_ENDPOINT)
 		{
-			tabent.result= EDSTDIED;
+			tabent.result= EDEADSRCDST;
 			A_INSERT(i, result);
 			tabent.flags= flags | AMF_DONE;
 			A_INSERT(i, flags);
diff --git a/kernel/proc.h b/kernel/proc.h
index a144a4cb0..c2f05ea20 100644
--- a/kernel/proc.h
+++ b/kernel/proc.h
@@ -157,6 +157,25 @@ struct proc {
 #define proc_is_preempted(p)	((p)->p_rts_flags & RTS_PREEMPTED)
 #define proc_no_quantum(p)	((p)->p_rts_flags & RTS_NO_QUANTUM)
 
+/* Macro to return: on which process is a certain process blocked?
+ * return endpoint number (can be ANY) or NONE. It's important to
+ * check RTS_SENDING first, and then RTS_RECEIVING, as they could
+ * both be on (if a sendrec() blocks on sending), and p_getfrom_e
+ * could be nonsense even though RTS_RECEIVING is on.
+ */
+#define P_BLOCKEDON(p)							\
+	(								\
+		((p)->p_rts_flags & RTS_SENDING) ? 			\
+		(p)->p_sendto_e : 					\
+		(							\
+			(						\
+				((p)->p_rts_flags & RTS_RECEIVING) ?	\
+				(p)->p_getfrom_e : 			\
+				NONE					\
+			) 						\
+		)							\
+	)
+
 /* These runtime flags can be tested and manipulated by these macros. */
 
 #define RTS_ISSET(rp, f) (((rp)->p_rts_flags & (f)) == (f))
diff --git a/kernel/system.c b/kernel/system.c
index 04a57d7b1..653906662 100644
--- a/kernel/system.c
+++ b/kernel/system.c
@@ -519,21 +519,12 @@ register struct proc *rc;		/* slot of process to clean up */
       /* Unset pending notification bits. */
       unset_sys_bit(priv(rp)->s_notify_pending, priv(rc)->s_id);
 
-      /* Check if process is receiving from exiting process. */
-      if (RTS_ISSET(rp, RTS_RECEIVING) && rp->p_getfrom_e == rc->p_endpoint) {
-          rp->p_reg.retreg = ESRCDIED;		/* report source died */
-	  RTS_UNSET(rp, RTS_RECEIVING);	/* no longer receiving */
+      /* Check if process is depends on exiting process. */
+      if (P_BLOCKEDON(rp) == rc->p_endpoint) {
+          rp->p_reg.retreg = EDEADSRCDST;		/* report source died */
+	  RTS_UNSET(rp, (RTS_RECEIVING|RTS_SENDING)); /* no longer blocking */
 #if DEBUG_ENABLE_IPC_WARNINGS
-	  kprintf("endpoint %d / %s receiving from dead src ep %d / %s\n",
-		rp->p_endpoint, rp->p_name, rc->p_endpoint, rc->p_name);
-#endif
-      } 
-      if (RTS_ISSET(rp, RTS_SENDING) &&
-	  rp->p_sendto_e == rc->p_endpoint) {
-          rp->p_reg.retreg = EDSTDIED;		/* report destination died */
-	  RTS_UNSET(rp, RTS_SENDING);
-#if DEBUG_ENABLE_IPC_WARNINGS
-	  kprintf("endpoint %d / %s send to dying dst ep %d (%s)\n",
+	  kprintf("endpoint %d / %s blocked on dead src ep %d / %s\n",
 		rp->p_endpoint, rp->p_name, rc->p_endpoint, rc->p_name);
 #endif
       }