diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/cluster/heartbeat.c b/fs/ocfs2/cluster/heartbeat.c
index 1c3def99bb07..a4c8ea695f5c 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/cluster/heartbeat.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/cluster/heartbeat.c
@@ -1966,18 +1966,22 @@ static ssize_t o2hb_region_dev_store(struct config_item *item,
 	atomic_set(&reg->hr_unsteady_iterations, (live_threshold * 3));
 	o2hb_set_region_stopping(reg, false);
 
-	hb_task = kthread_run(o2hb_thread, reg, "o2hb-%s",
-			      reg->hr_item.ci_name);
+	hb_task = kthread_create(o2hb_thread, reg, "o2hb-%s",
+				 reg->hr_item.ci_name);
 	if (IS_ERR(hb_task)) {
 		ret = PTR_ERR(hb_task);
 		mlog_errno(ret);
 		goto out;
 	}
+	/* The thread may exit on its own, so pin it before it can run. */
+	get_task_struct(hb_task);
 
 	spin_lock(&o2hb_live_lock);
 	reg->hr_task = hb_task;
 	spin_unlock(&o2hb_live_lock);
 
+	wake_up_process(hb_task);
+
 	ret = wait_event_interruptible(o2hb_steady_queue,
 				atomic_read(&reg->hr_steady_iterations) == 0 ||
 				reg->hr_node_deleted);
@@ -2022,7 +2026,7 @@ static ssize_t o2hb_region_dev_store(struct config_item *item,
 		spin_unlock(&o2hb_live_lock);
 
 		if (hb_task)
-			kthread_stop(hb_task);
+			kthread_stop_put(hb_task);
 
 		o2hb_unmap_slot_data(reg);
 
@@ -2208,7 +2212,7 @@ static void o2hb_heartbeat_group_drop_item(struct config_group *group,
 	spin_unlock(&o2hb_live_lock);
 
 	if (hb_task)
-		kthread_stop(hb_task);
+		kthread_stop_put(hb_task);
 
 	if (o2hb_global_heartbeat_active()) {
 		spin_lock(&o2hb_live_lock);