diff --git a/servers/pm/forkexit.c b/servers/pm/forkexit.c
index 08bbc3193..f5e531794 100644
--- a/servers/pm/forkexit.c
+++ b/servers/pm/forkexit.c
@@ -271,6 +271,11 @@ int exit_type;			/* one of PM_EXIT, PM_EXIT_TR, PM_DUMPCORE */
 	return;
   }
 
+  /* The process is now officially exiting. The ZOMBIE flag is not enough, as
+   * it is not set here for core dumps - introducing potential race conditions.
+   */
+  rmp->mp_flags |= EXITING;
+
   /* Pending reply messages for the dead process cannot be delivered. */
   rmp->mp_flags &= ~REPLY;
 
@@ -290,8 +295,7 @@ int exit_type;			/* one of PM_EXIT, PM_EXIT_TR, PM_DUMPCORE */
 		/* 'rmp' now points to a child to be disinherited. */
 		rmp->mp_parent = INIT_PROC_NR;
 		parent_waiting = mproc[INIT_PROC_NR].mp_flags & WAITING;
-		if (parent_waiting && (rmp->mp_flags & ZOMBIE) &&
-			!(rmp->mp_flags & TOLD_PARENT)) {
+		if (parent_waiting && (rmp->mp_flags & ZOMBIE)) {
 			tell_parent(rmp);
 
 			if (rmp->mp_fs_call == PM_IDLE)
@@ -427,7 +431,7 @@ struct mproc *rmp;
   if (rmp->mp_flags & ZOMBIE)
 	panic(__FILE__, "zombify: process was already a zombie", NO_NUM);
 
-  rmp->mp_flags &= (IN_USE|PRIV_PROC);
+  rmp->mp_flags &= (IN_USE|PRIV_PROC|EXITING);
   rmp->mp_flags |= ZOMBIE;
 
   p_mp = &mproc[rmp->mp_parent];
@@ -454,6 +458,8 @@ register struct mproc *child;	/* tells which process is exiting */
   mp_parent= child->mp_parent;
   if (mp_parent <= 0)
 	panic(__FILE__, "tell_parent: bad value in mp_parent", mp_parent);
+  if(!(child->mp_flags & ZOMBIE))
+  	panic(__FILE__, "tell_parent: child not a zombie", NO_NUM);
   if(child->mp_flags & TOLD_PARENT)
 	panic(__FILE__, "tell_parent: telling parent again", NO_NUM);
   parent = &mproc[mp_parent];
@@ -463,6 +469,7 @@ register struct mproc *child;	/* tells which process is exiting */
   parent->mp_reply.reply_res2 = exitstatus;
   setreply(child->mp_parent, child->mp_pid);
   parent->mp_flags &= ~WAITING;		/* parent no longer waiting */
+  child->mp_flags &= ~ZOMBIE;		/* child no longer a zombie */
   child->mp_flags |= TOLD_PARENT;	/* avoid informing parent twice */
 }
 
diff --git a/servers/pm/main.c b/servers/pm/main.c
index 130e06837..bd083e532 100644
--- a/servers/pm/main.c
+++ b/servers/pm/main.c
@@ -148,9 +148,9 @@ PUBLIC int main()
 		/* In the meantime, the process may have been killed by a
 		 * signal (e.g. if a lethal pending signal was unblocked)
 		 * without the PM realizing it. If the slot is no longer in
-		 * use or just a zombie, don't try to reply.
+		 * use or the process is exiting, don't try to reply.
 		 */
-		if ((rmp->mp_flags & (REPLY | IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) ==
+		if ((rmp->mp_flags & (REPLY | IN_USE | EXITING)) ==
 		   (REPLY | IN_USE)) {
 			s=sendnb(rmp->mp_endpoint, &rmp->mp_reply);
 			if (s != OK) {
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ void checkme(char *str, int line)
 	int boned = 0;
 	int proc_nr;
 	for (proc_nr=0, trmp=mproc; proc_nr < NR_PROCS; proc_nr++, trmp++) {
-		if ((trmp->mp_flags & (REPLY | IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) ==
+		if ((trmp->mp_flags & (REPLY | IN_USE | EXITING)) ==
 		   (REPLY | IN_USE)) {
 			int tp;
   			if(pm_isokendpt(trmp->mp_endpoint, &tp) != OK) {
diff --git a/servers/pm/misc.c b/servers/pm/misc.c
index 551cac882..cc04c1904 100644
--- a/servers/pm/misc.c
+++ b/servers/pm/misc.c
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ PUBLIC int do_getprocnr()
  		return(s);
  	search_key[key_len] = '\0';	/* terminate for safety */
   	for (rmp = &mproc[0]; rmp < &mproc[NR_PROCS]; rmp++) {
-		if (((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) == IN_USE) && 
+		if (((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | EXITING)) == IN_USE) && 
 			strncmp(rmp->mp_name, search_key, key_len)==0) {
   			mp->mp_reply.endpt = rmp->mp_endpoint;
   			printf("PM: name %s result: %d\n", search_key, 
diff --git a/servers/pm/mproc.h b/servers/pm/mproc.h
index a0e961345..2dce02e02 100644
--- a/servers/pm/mproc.h
+++ b/servers/pm/mproc.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ EXTERN struct mproc {
 /* Flag values */
 #define IN_USE          0x001	/* set when 'mproc' slot in use */
 #define WAITING         0x002	/* set by WAIT system call */
-#define ZOMBIE          0x004	/* set by EXIT, cleared by WAIT */
+#define ZOMBIE          0x004	/* waiting for parent to issue WAIT call */
 #define PAUSED          0x008	/* set by PAUSE system call */
 #define ALARM_ON        0x010	/* set when SIGALRM timer started */
 #define	TRACED		0x040	/* set if process is to be traced */
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ EXTERN struct mproc {
 #define PM_SIG_PENDING 0x4000	/* process got a signal while waiting for FS */
 #define PARTIAL_EXEC   0x8000	/* Process got a new map but no content */
 #define TOLD_PARENT   0x10000	/* Parent wait() completed, ZOMBIE off */
+#define EXITING       0x20000	/* set by EXIT, process is now exiting */
 
 #define NIL_MPROC ((struct mproc *) 0)
 
diff --git a/servers/pm/signal.c b/servers/pm/signal.c
index f43e33830..21d8d31c6 100644
--- a/servers/pm/signal.c
+++ b/servers/pm/signal.c
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ PUBLIC int ksig_pending()
 	/* If the process still exists to the kernel after the signal
 	 * has been handled ...
 	 */
-        if ((mproc[proc_nr_p].mp_flags & (IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) == IN_USE)
+        if ((mproc[proc_nr_p].mp_flags & (IN_USE | EXITING)) == IN_USE)
 	{
 	   if((r=sys_endksig(proc_nr_e)) != OK)	/* ... tell kernel it's done */
   		panic(__FILE__,"sys_endksig failed", r);
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ sigset_t sig_map;
 	return;
   }
   rmp = &mproc[proc_nr];
-  if ((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) != IN_USE) {
-	printf("PM: handle_ksig: %d?? zombie / not in use\n", proc_nr_e);
+  if ((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | EXITING)) != IN_USE) {
+	printf("PM: handle_ksig: %d?? exiting / not in use\n", proc_nr_e);
 	return;
   }
   proc_id = rmp->mp_pid;
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ struct timer *tp;
 
   rmp = &mproc[proc_nr_n];
 
-  if ((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) != IN_USE) return;
+  if ((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | EXITING)) != IN_USE) return;
   if ((rmp->mp_flags & ALARM_ON) == 0) return;
   rmp->mp_flags &= ~ALARM_ON;
   check_sig(rmp->mp_pid, SIGALRM);
@@ -424,9 +424,8 @@ int signo;			/* signal to send to process (1 to _NSIG) */
   int exit_type;
 
   slot = (int) (rmp - mproc);
-  if ((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) != IN_USE) {
-	printf("PM: signal %d sent to %s process %d\n",
-		signo, (rmp->mp_flags & ZOMBIE) ? "zombie" : "dead", slot);
+  if ((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | EXITING)) != IN_USE) {
+	printf("PM: signal %d sent to exiting process %d\n", signo, slot);
 	panic(__FILE__,"", NO_NUM);
   }
   if (rmp->mp_fs_call != PM_IDLE || rmp->mp_fs_call2 != PM_IDLE)
@@ -551,13 +550,12 @@ int signo;			/* signal to send to process (0 to _NSIG) */
   if (proc_id == INIT_PID && signo == SIGKILL) return(EINVAL);
 
   /* Search the proc table for processes to signal.  
-   * (See forkexit.c aboutpid magic.)
+   * (See forkexit.c about pid magic.)
    */
   count = 0;
   error_code = ESRCH;
   for (rmp = &mproc[0]; rmp < &mproc[NR_PROCS]; rmp++) {
 	if (!(rmp->mp_flags & IN_USE)) continue;
-	if ((rmp->mp_flags & ZOMBIE) && signo != 0) continue;
 
 	/* Check for selection. */
 	if (proc_id > 0 && proc_id != rmp->mp_pid) continue;
@@ -580,7 +578,7 @@ int signo;			/* signal to send to process (0 to _NSIG) */
 	}
 
 	count++;
-	if (signo == 0) continue;
+	if (signo == 0 || (rmp->mp_flags & EXITING)) continue;
 
 	/* 'sig_proc' will handle the disposition of the signal.  The
 	 * signal may be caught, blocked, ignored, or cause process
@@ -592,7 +590,7 @@ int signo;			/* signal to send to process (0 to _NSIG) */
   }
 
   /* If the calling process has killed itself, don't reply. */
-  if ((mp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) != IN_USE) return(SUSPEND);
+  if ((mp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | EXITING)) != IN_USE) return(SUSPEND);
   return(count > 0 ? OK : error_code);
 }
 
diff --git a/servers/pm/trace.c b/servers/pm/trace.c
index 8e8622c95..3a0e1c7a2 100644
--- a/servers/pm/trace.c
+++ b/servers/pm/trace.c
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ pid_t lpid;
   register struct mproc *rmp;
 
   for (rmp = &mproc[0]; rmp < &mproc[NR_PROCS]; rmp++)
-	if ((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | ZOMBIE)) == IN_USE &&
+	if ((rmp->mp_flags & (IN_USE | EXITING)) == IN_USE &&
 		rmp->mp_pid == lpid) {
 		return(rmp);
 	}