diff --git a/arch/arm/kernel/kgdb.c b/arch/arm/kernel/kgdb.c
index aaffaecffcd1..ba8ccfede964 100644
--- a/arch/arm/kernel/kgdb.c
+++ b/arch/arm/kernel/kgdb.c
@@ -111,8 +111,6 @@ int kgdb_arch_handle_exception(int exception_vector, int signo,
 	case 'D':
 	case 'k':
 	case 'c':
-		kgdb_contthread = NULL;
-
 		/*
 		 * Try to read optional parameter, pc unchanged if no parm.
 		 * If this was a compiled breakpoint, we need to move
diff --git a/arch/mips/kernel/kgdb.c b/arch/mips/kernel/kgdb.c
index 8f6d58ede33c..6e152c80cd4a 100644
--- a/arch/mips/kernel/kgdb.c
+++ b/arch/mips/kernel/kgdb.c
@@ -236,8 +236,7 @@ int kgdb_arch_handle_exception(int vector, int signo, int err_code,
 
 		atomic_set(&kgdb_cpu_doing_single_step, -1);
 		if (remcom_in_buffer[0] == 's')
-			if (kgdb_contthread)
-				atomic_set(&kgdb_cpu_doing_single_step, cpu);
+			atomic_set(&kgdb_cpu_doing_single_step, cpu);
 
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/kgdb.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/kgdb.c
index b4fdf2f2743c..fe8f71dd0b3f 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/kgdb.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/kgdb.c
@@ -347,9 +347,8 @@ int kgdb_arch_handle_exception(int vector, int signo, int err_code,
 			linux_regs->msr |= MSR_SE;
 #endif
 			kgdb_single_step = 1;
-			if (kgdb_contthread)
-				atomic_set(&kgdb_cpu_doing_single_step,
-					   raw_smp_processor_id());
+			atomic_set(&kgdb_cpu_doing_single_step,
+				   raw_smp_processor_id());
 		}
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c b/arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c
index f47f0eb886b8..00f7896c9a19 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c
@@ -378,10 +378,8 @@ int kgdb_arch_handle_exception(int e_vector, int signo, int err_code,
 		if (remcomInBuffer[0] == 's') {
 			linux_regs->flags |= X86_EFLAGS_TF;
 			kgdb_single_step = 1;
-			if (kgdb_contthread) {
-				atomic_set(&kgdb_cpu_doing_single_step,
-					   raw_smp_processor_id());
-			}
+			atomic_set(&kgdb_cpu_doing_single_step,
+				   raw_smp_processor_id());
 		}
 
 		get_debugreg(dr6, 6);
@@ -466,9 +464,15 @@ static int __kgdb_notify(struct die_args *args, unsigned long cmd)
 
 	case DIE_DEBUG:
 		if (atomic_read(&kgdb_cpu_doing_single_step) ==
-			raw_smp_processor_id() &&
-			user_mode(regs))
-			return single_step_cont(regs, args);
+		    raw_smp_processor_id()) {
+			if (user_mode(regs))
+				return single_step_cont(regs, args);
+			break;
+		} else if (test_thread_flag(TIF_SINGLESTEP))
+			/* This means a user thread is single stepping
+			 * a system call which should be ignored
+			 */
+			return NOTIFY_DONE;
 		/* fall through */
 	default:
 		if (user_mode(regs))
diff --git a/kernel/kgdb.c b/kernel/kgdb.c
index 949806ab67de..25d955dbb989 100644
--- a/kernel/kgdb.c
+++ b/kernel/kgdb.c
@@ -1462,7 +1462,7 @@ kgdb_handle_exception(int evector, int signo, int ecode, struct pt_regs *regs)
 	 * Get the passive CPU lock which will hold all the non-primary
 	 * CPU in a spin state while the debugger is active
 	 */
-	if (!kgdb_single_step || !kgdb_contthread) {
+	if (!kgdb_single_step) {
 		for (i = 0; i < NR_CPUS; i++)
 			atomic_set(&passive_cpu_wait[i], 1);
 	}
@@ -1475,7 +1475,7 @@ kgdb_handle_exception(int evector, int signo, int ecode, struct pt_regs *regs)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
 	/* Signal the other CPUs to enter kgdb_wait() */
-	if ((!kgdb_single_step || !kgdb_contthread) && kgdb_do_roundup)
+	if ((!kgdb_single_step) && kgdb_do_roundup)
 		kgdb_roundup_cpus(flags);
 #endif
 
@@ -1494,7 +1494,7 @@ kgdb_handle_exception(int evector, int signo, int ecode, struct pt_regs *regs)
 	kgdb_post_primary_code(ks->linux_regs, ks->ex_vector, ks->err_code);
 	kgdb_deactivate_sw_breakpoints();
 	kgdb_single_step = 0;
-	kgdb_contthread = NULL;
+	kgdb_contthread = current;
 	exception_level = 0;
 
 	/* Talk to debugger with gdbserial protocol */
@@ -1508,7 +1508,7 @@ kgdb_handle_exception(int evector, int signo, int ecode, struct pt_regs *regs)
 	kgdb_info[ks->cpu].task = NULL;
 	atomic_set(&cpu_in_kgdb[ks->cpu], 0);
 
-	if (!kgdb_single_step || !kgdb_contthread) {
+	if (!kgdb_single_step) {
 		for (i = NR_CPUS-1; i >= 0; i--)
 			atomic_set(&passive_cpu_wait[i], 0);
 		/*