diff --git a/kernel/ptrace.c b/kernel/ptrace.c
index 86a7f6c60cb2..0eeb7e66722c 100644
--- a/kernel/ptrace.c
+++ b/kernel/ptrace.c
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@
  */
 void __ptrace_link(task_t *child, task_t *new_parent)
 {
-	if (!list_empty(&child->ptrace_list))
-		BUG();
+	BUG_ON(!list_empty(&child->ptrace_list));
 	if (child->parent == new_parent)
 		return;
 	list_add(&child->ptrace_list, &child->parent->ptrace_children);