diff --git a/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/fd.rs b/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/fd.rs
index 8ed2dc198..64c4632b8 100644
--- a/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/fd.rs
+++ b/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/fd.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ impl FdDirOps {
             .parent(parent)
             .build()
             .unwrap();
-        // Guard against the race condition when procfs is being accessed for an exiting process,
+        // This is for an exiting process that has not yet been reaped by its parent,
         // whose file table may have already been released.
         if let Some(file_table_ref) = file_table.lock().as_ref() {
             file_table_ref
diff --git a/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/mod.rs b/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/mod.rs
index 4da871b1c..ef8ed8e80 100644
--- a/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/mod.rs
+++ b/kernel/src/fs/procfs/pid/mod.rs
@@ -36,12 +36,13 @@ impl PidDirOps {
             .volatile()
             .build()
             .unwrap();
-        file_table
-            .lock()
-            .as_ref()
-            .unwrap()
-            .read()
-            .register_observer(Arc::downgrade(&pid_inode) as _);
+        // This is for an exiting process that has not yet been reaped by its parent,
+        // whose file table may have already been released.
+        if let Some(file_table_ref) = file_table.lock().as_ref() {
+            file_table_ref
+                .read()
+                .register_observer(Arc::downgrade(&pid_inode) as _);
+        }
 
         pid_inode
     }