diff --git a/kernel/vhost_task.c b/kernel/vhost_task.c
index 01bf7b0e2c5b..6cb3b8b26768 100644
--- a/kernel/vhost_task.c
+++ b/kernel/vhost_task.c
@@ -58,9 +58,15 @@ static int vhost_task_fn(void *data)
         * new work and flushed.
         */
        if (!test_bit(VHOST_TASK_FLAGS_STOP, &vtsk->flags)) {
-               set_bit(VHOST_TASK_FLAGS_KILLED, &vtsk->flags);
                if (vtsk->handle_sigkill)
                        vtsk->handle_sigkill(vtsk->data);
+
+               /*
+                * Mark the task KILLED *after* giving the owner the chance to
+                * handle SIGKILL to avoid false positives on the sanity check
+                * in __vhost_task_wake().
+                */
+               set_bit(VHOST_TASK_FLAGS_KILLED, &vtsk->flags);
        }
        mutex_unlock(&vtsk->exit_mutex);
        complete(&vtsk->exited);