diff --git a/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/status.rs b/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/status.rs
index 12ca3fcd0..9dc0cd38d 100644
--- a/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/status.rs
+++ b/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/status.rs
@@ -99,10 +99,9 @@ impl FileOps for StatusFileOps {
         )
         .unwrap();
 
-        {
-            let vmar = process.lock_root_vmar();
-            let anon = vmar.unwrap().get_rss_counter(RssType::RSS_ANONPAGES) * (PAGE_SIZE / 1024);
-            let file = vmar.unwrap().get_rss_counter(RssType::RSS_FILEPAGES) * (PAGE_SIZE / 1024);
+        if let Some(vmar_ref) = process.lock_root_vmar().as_ref() {
+            let anon = vmar_ref.get_rss_counter(RssType::RSS_ANONPAGES) * (PAGE_SIZE / 1024);
+            let file = vmar_ref.get_rss_counter(RssType::RSS_FILEPAGES) * (PAGE_SIZE / 1024);
             let rss = anon + file;
             writeln!(
                 status_output,
diff --git a/kernel/src/process/process_vm/mod.rs b/kernel/src/process/process_vm/mod.rs
index 600e442ae..3ee73aa4b 100644
--- a/kernel/src/process/process_vm/mod.rs
+++ b/kernel/src/process/process_vm/mod.rs
@@ -87,6 +87,13 @@ impl ProcessVmarGuard<'_> {
         self.inner.as_ref().unwrap()
     }
 
+    /// Returns a reference to the process VMAR if it exists.
+    ///
+    /// Returns `None` if the process has exited and its VMAR has been dropped.
+    pub fn as_ref(&self) -> Option<&Vmar<Full>> {
+        self.inner.as_ref()
+    }
+
     /// Sets a new VMAR for the binding process.
     ///
     /// If the `new_vmar` is `None`, this method will remove the