diff --git a/kernel/cred.c b/kernel/cred.c
index 7a0d806..eddc5e2 100644
--- a/kernel/cred.c
+++ b/kernel/cred.c
@@ -49,6 +49,14 @@
 	.subscribers		= ATOMIC_INIT(2),
 	.magic			= CRED_MAGIC,
 #endif
+	.uid			= GLOBAL_ROOT_UID,
+	.gid			= GLOBAL_ROOT_GID,
+	.suid			= GLOBAL_ROOT_UID,
+	.sgid			= GLOBAL_ROOT_GID,
+	.euid			= GLOBAL_ROOT_UID,
+	.egid			= GLOBAL_ROOT_GID,
+	.fsuid			= GLOBAL_ROOT_UID,
+	.fsgid			= GLOBAL_ROOT_GID,
 	.securebits		= SECUREBITS_DEFAULT,
 	.cap_inheritable	= CAP_EMPTY_SET,
 	.cap_permitted		= CAP_FULL_SET,
@@ -488,10 +496,10 @@
 	get_cred(new); /* we will require a ref for the subj creds too */
 
 	/* dumpability changes */
-	if (old->euid != new->euid ||
-	    old->egid != new->egid ||
-	    old->fsuid != new->fsuid ||
-	    old->fsgid != new->fsgid ||
+	if (!uid_eq(old->euid, new->euid) ||
+	    !gid_eq(old->egid, new->egid) ||
+	    !uid_eq(old->fsuid, new->fsuid) ||
+	    !gid_eq(old->fsgid, new->fsgid) ||
 	    !cap_issubset(new->cap_permitted, old->cap_permitted)) {
 		if (task->mm)
 			set_dumpable(task->mm, suid_dumpable);
@@ -500,9 +508,9 @@
 	}
 
 	/* alter the thread keyring */
-	if (new->fsuid != old->fsuid)
+	if (!uid_eq(new->fsuid, old->fsuid))
 		key_fsuid_changed(task);
-	if (new->fsgid != old->fsgid)
+	if (!gid_eq(new->fsgid, old->fsgid))
 		key_fsgid_changed(task);
 
 	/* do it
@@ -519,16 +527,16 @@
 	alter_cred_subscribers(old, -2);
 
 	/* send notifications */
-	if (new->uid   != old->uid  ||
-	    new->euid  != old->euid ||
-	    new->suid  != old->suid ||
-	    new->fsuid != old->fsuid)
+	if (!uid_eq(new->uid,   old->uid)  ||
+	    !uid_eq(new->euid,  old->euid) ||
+	    !uid_eq(new->suid,  old->suid) ||
+	    !uid_eq(new->fsuid, old->fsuid))
 		proc_id_connector(task, PROC_EVENT_UID);
 
-	if (new->gid   != old->gid  ||
-	    new->egid  != old->egid ||
-	    new->sgid  != old->sgid ||
-	    new->fsgid != old->fsgid)
+	if (!gid_eq(new->gid,   old->gid)  ||
+	    !gid_eq(new->egid,  old->egid) ||
+	    !gid_eq(new->sgid,  old->sgid) ||
+	    !gid_eq(new->fsgid, old->fsgid))
 		proc_id_connector(task, PROC_EVENT_GID);
 
 	/* release the old obj and subj refs both */