diff --git a/kernel/exit.c b/kernel/exit.c
index 10d3c5d5ae44..ce1e48c2d93d 100644
--- a/kernel/exit.c
+++ b/kernel/exit.c
@@ -1189,7 +1189,7 @@ static int wait_task_zombie(struct wait_opts *wo, struct task_struct *p)
 
 	if (unlikely(wo->wo_flags & WNOWAIT)) {
 		int exit_code = p->exit_code;
-		int why, status;
+		int why;
 
 		get_task_struct(p);
 		read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);