diff --git a/kernel/kcov.c b/kernel/kcov.c
index 7594c033d98a..2c16f1ab5e10 100644
--- a/kernel/kcov.c
+++ b/kernel/kcov.c
@@ -358,7 +358,8 @@ static int kcov_ioctl_locked(struct kcov *kcov, unsigned int cmd,
 		 */
 		if (kcov->mode != KCOV_MODE_INIT || !kcov->area)
 			return -EINVAL;
-		if (kcov->t != NULL)
+		t = current;
+		if (kcov->t != NULL || t->kcov != NULL)
 			return -EBUSY;
 		if (arg == KCOV_TRACE_PC)
 			kcov->mode = KCOV_MODE_TRACE_PC;
@@ -370,7 +371,6 @@ static int kcov_ioctl_locked(struct kcov *kcov, unsigned int cmd,
 #endif
 		else
 			return -EINVAL;
-		t = current;
 		/* Cache in task struct for performance. */
 		t->kcov_size = kcov->size;
 		t->kcov_area = kcov->area;