diff --git a/kernel/futex.c b/kernel/futex.c
index 604d1cb9839d..0b49a8e1e1be 100644
--- a/kernel/futex.c
+++ b/kernel/futex.c
@@ -1207,11 +1207,11 @@ static int handle_exit_race(u32 __user *uaddr, u32 uval,
 	u32 uval2;
 
 	/*
-	 * If the futex exit state is not yet FUTEX_STATE_DEAD, wait
-	 * for it to finish.
+	 * If the futex exit state is not yet FUTEX_STATE_DEAD, tell the
+	 * caller that the alleged owner is busy.
 	 */
 	if (tsk && tsk->futex_state != FUTEX_STATE_DEAD)
-		return -EAGAIN;
+		return -EBUSY;
 
 	/*
 	 * Reread the user space value to handle the following situation: