diff --git a/kernel-src/sys/signal.c b/kernel-src/sys/signal.c
index b4c555b6..e2c6ede0 100644
--- a/kernel-src/sys/signal.c
+++ b/kernel-src/sys/signal.c
@@ -278,6 +278,9 @@ int signal_wait(sigset_t *sigset, timespec_t *timeout, siginfo_t *siginfo, int *
 }
 
 void signal_signalthread(struct thread_t *thread, int signal, bool urgent) {
+	if (signal == 0)
+		return;
+
 	PROCESS_ENTER(thread->proc);
 	THREAD_ENTER(thread);
 
@@ -305,6 +308,8 @@ void signal_signalthread(struct thread_t *thread, int signal, bool urgent) {
 }
 
 void signal_signalproc(struct proc_t *proc, int signal) {
+	if (signal == 0)
+		return;
 	// first, check if any threads have the signal unmasked, and set as pending for the first one
 	PROCESS_ENTER(proc);
 	void *address = proc->signals.actions[signal].address;
diff --git a/kernel-src/sys/syscalls/kill.c b/kernel-src/sys/syscalls/kill.c
index 2575d4dd..81ce32f8 100644
--- a/kernel-src/sys/syscalls/kill.c
+++ b/kernel-src/sys/syscalls/kill.c
@@ -26,10 +26,6 @@ syscallret_t syscall_kill(context_t *context, int pid, int signal) {
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	// null signal is meant to find out about the existance of a process
-	if (signal == 0)
-		goto leave;
-
 	if (pid >= 1) {
 		if (signal != SIGCONT || jobctl_getpgid(target) != jobctl_getpgid(current_thread()->proc)) {
 			ret.errno = auth_process_check(&current_thread()->proc->cred, AUTH_ACTIONS_PROCESS_SIGNAL, target);