diff --git a/kernel/perf_event.c b/kernel/perf_event.c
index 3f5309d..86f394e 100644
--- a/kernel/perf_event.c
+++ b/kernel/perf_event.c
@@ -2053,15 +2053,14 @@
 }
 
 static struct perf_event_context *
-find_get_context(struct pmu *pmu, pid_t pid, int cpu)
+find_get_context(struct pmu *pmu, struct task_struct *task, int cpu)
 {
 	struct perf_event_context *ctx;
 	struct perf_cpu_context *cpuctx;
-	struct task_struct *task;
 	unsigned long flags;
 	int ctxn, err;
 
-	if (pid == -1 && cpu != -1) {
+	if (!task && cpu != -1) {
 		/* Must be root to operate on a CPU event: */
 		if (perf_paranoid_cpu() && !capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
 			return ERR_PTR(-EACCES);
@@ -2084,10 +2083,6 @@
 		return ctx;
 	}
 
-	task = find_lively_task_by_vpid(pid);
-	if (IS_ERR(task))
-		return (void*)task;
-
 	err = -EINVAL;
 	ctxn = pmu->task_ctx_nr;
 	if (ctxn < 0)
@@ -5527,6 +5522,7 @@
 	struct perf_event_context *ctx;
 	struct file *event_file = NULL;
 	struct file *group_file = NULL;
+	struct task_struct *task = NULL;
 	struct pmu *pmu;
 	int event_fd;
 	int fput_needed = 0;
@@ -5581,10 +5577,13 @@
 	if ((pmu->task_ctx_nr == perf_sw_context) && group_leader)
 		pmu = group_leader->pmu;
 
+	if (pid != -1)
+		task = find_lively_task_by_vpid(pid);
+
 	/*
 	 * Get the target context (task or percpu):
 	 */
-	ctx = find_get_context(pmu, pid, cpu);
+	ctx = find_get_context(pmu, task, cpu);
 	if (IS_ERR(ctx)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(ctx);
 		goto err_group_fd;
@@ -5666,11 +5665,11 @@
  *
  * @attr: attributes of the counter to create
  * @cpu: cpu in which the counter is bound
- * @pid: task to profile
+ * @task: task to profile (NULL for percpu)
  */
 struct perf_event *
 perf_event_create_kernel_counter(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int cpu,
-				 pid_t pid,
+				 struct task_struct *task,
 				 perf_overflow_handler_t overflow_handler)
 {
 	struct perf_event_context *ctx;
@@ -5687,7 +5686,7 @@
 		goto err;
 	}
 
-	ctx = find_get_context(event->pmu, pid, cpu);
+	ctx = find_get_context(event->pmu, task, cpu);
 	if (IS_ERR(ctx)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(ctx);
 		goto err_free;