diff --git a/arch/i386/mach-voyager/voyager_thread.c b/arch/i386/mach-voyager/voyager_thread.c
index b4b24e0..f9d5953 100644
--- a/arch/i386/mach-voyager/voyager_thread.c
+++ b/arch/i386/mach-voyager/voyager_thread.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 		NULL,
 	};
 
-	if ((ret = call_usermodehelper(argv[0], argv, envp, 1)) != 0) {
+	if ((ret = call_usermodehelper(argv[0], argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_PROC)) != 0) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "Voyager failed to run \"%s\": %i\n",
 		       string, ret);
 	}
diff --git a/arch/x86_64/kernel/mce.c b/arch/x86_64/kernel/mce.c
index aa1d159..f3fb817 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/kernel/mce.c
+++ b/arch/x86_64/kernel/mce.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
 	if (events != atomic_read(&mce_logged) && trigger[0]) {
 		/* Small race window, but should be harmless.  */
 		atomic_set(&mce_logged, events);
-		call_usermodehelper(trigger, trigger_argv, NULL, -1);
+		call_usermodehelper(trigger, trigger_argv, NULL, UMH_NO_WAIT);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/macintosh/therm_pm72.c b/drivers/macintosh/therm_pm72.c
index dbb22403..3d90fc0 100644
--- a/drivers/macintosh/therm_pm72.c
+++ b/drivers/macintosh/therm_pm72.c
@@ -1770,7 +1770,8 @@
 				"PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin",
 				NULL };
 
-	return call_usermodehelper(critical_overtemp_path, argv, envp, 0);
+	return call_usermodehelper(critical_overtemp_path,
+				   argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_EXEC);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/drivers/macintosh/windfarm_core.c b/drivers/macintosh/windfarm_core.c
index e18d265..516d943 100644
--- a/drivers/macintosh/windfarm_core.c
+++ b/drivers/macintosh/windfarm_core.c
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@
 				"PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin",
 				NULL };
 
-	return call_usermodehelper(critical_overtemp_path, argv, envp, 0);
+	return call_usermodehelper(critical_overtemp_path,
+				   argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_EXEC);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(wf_critical_overtemp);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/hamradio/baycom_epp.c b/drivers/net/hamradio/baycom_epp.c
index 84aa211..355c6cf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hamradio/baycom_epp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hamradio/baycom_epp.c
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@
 	sprintf(portarg, "%ld", bc->pdev->port->base);
 	printk(KERN_DEBUG "%s: %s -s -p %s -m %s\n", bc_drvname, eppconfig_path, portarg, modearg);
 
-	return call_usermodehelper(eppconfig_path, argv, envp, 1);
+	return call_usermodehelper(eppconfig_path, argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_PROC);
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/drivers/pnp/pnpbios/core.c b/drivers/pnp/pnpbios/core.c
index 03baf1c..ed112ee 100644
--- a/drivers/pnp/pnpbios/core.c
+++ b/drivers/pnp/pnpbios/core.c
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
 		info->location_id, info->serial, info->capabilities);
 	envp[i] = NULL;
 	
-	value = call_usermodehelper (argv [0], argv, envp, 0);
+	value = call_usermodehelper (argv [0], argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_EXEC);
 	kfree (buf);
 	kfree (envp);
 	return 0;
diff --git a/fs/ocfs2/heartbeat.c b/fs/ocfs2/heartbeat.c
index 352eb4a..c4c3617 100644
--- a/fs/ocfs2/heartbeat.c
+++ b/fs/ocfs2/heartbeat.c
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@
 	envp[1] = "PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin";
 	envp[2] = NULL;
 
-	ret = call_usermodehelper(argv[0], argv, envp, 1);
+	ret = call_usermodehelper(argv[0], argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_PROC);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		mlog_errno(ret);
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/kmod.h b/include/linux/kmod.h
index c4cbe59..5dc1384 100644
--- a/include/linux/kmod.h
+++ b/include/linux/kmod.h
@@ -51,15 +51,21 @@
 void call_usermodehelper_setcleanup(struct subprocess_info *info,
 				    void (*cleanup)(char **argv, char **envp));
 
+enum umh_wait {
+	UMH_NO_WAIT = -1,	/* don't wait at all */
+	UMH_WAIT_EXEC = 0,	/* wait for the exec, but not the process */
+	UMH_WAIT_PROC = 1,	/* wait for the process to complete */
+};
+
 /* Actually execute the sub-process */
-int call_usermodehelper_exec(struct subprocess_info *info, int wait);
+int call_usermodehelper_exec(struct subprocess_info *info, enum umh_wait wait);
 
 /* Free the subprocess_info. This is only needed if you're not going
    to call call_usermodehelper_exec */
 void call_usermodehelper_freeinfo(struct subprocess_info *info);
 
 static inline int
-call_usermodehelper(char *path, char **argv, char **envp, int wait)
+call_usermodehelper(char *path, char **argv, char **envp, enum umh_wait wait)
 {
 	struct subprocess_info *info;
 
@@ -71,7 +77,7 @@
 
 static inline int
 call_usermodehelper_keys(char *path, char **argv, char **envp,
-			 struct key *session_keyring, int wait)
+			 struct key *session_keyring, enum umh_wait wait)
 {
 	struct subprocess_info *info;
 
diff --git a/kernel/cpuset.c b/kernel/cpuset.c
index b4796d8..57e6448 100644
--- a/kernel/cpuset.c
+++ b/kernel/cpuset.c
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@
 	envp[i++] = "PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin";
 	envp[i] = NULL;
 
-	call_usermodehelper(argv[0], argv, envp, 0);
+	call_usermodehelper(argv[0], argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_EXEC);
 	kfree(pathbuf);
 }
 
diff --git a/kernel/kmod.c b/kernel/kmod.c
index d2dce71..78d365c 100644
--- a/kernel/kmod.c
+++ b/kernel/kmod.c
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@
 	char **argv;
 	char **envp;
 	struct key *ring;
-	int wait;
+	enum umh_wait wait;
 	int retval;
 	struct file *stdin;
 	void (*cleanup)(char **argv, char **envp);
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@
 			sub_info->retval = ret;
 	}
 
-	if (sub_info->wait < 0)
+	if (sub_info->wait == UMH_NO_WAIT)
 		call_usermodehelper_freeinfo(sub_info);
 	else
 		complete(sub_info->complete);
@@ -238,26 +238,31 @@
 	struct subprocess_info *sub_info =
 		container_of(work, struct subprocess_info, work);
 	pid_t pid;
-	int wait = sub_info->wait;
+	enum umh_wait wait = sub_info->wait;
 
 	/* CLONE_VFORK: wait until the usermode helper has execve'd
 	 * successfully We need the data structures to stay around
 	 * until that is done.  */
-	if (wait)
+	if (wait == UMH_WAIT_PROC || wait == UMH_NO_WAIT)
 		pid = kernel_thread(wait_for_helper, sub_info,
 				    CLONE_FS | CLONE_FILES | SIGCHLD);
 	else
 		pid = kernel_thread(____call_usermodehelper, sub_info,
 				    CLONE_VFORK | SIGCHLD);
 
-	if (wait < 0)
-		return;
+	switch (wait) {
+	case UMH_NO_WAIT:
+		break;
 
-	if (pid < 0) {
+	case UMH_WAIT_PROC:
+		if (pid > 0)
+			break;
 		sub_info->retval = pid;
+		/* FALLTHROUGH */
+
+	case UMH_WAIT_EXEC:
 		complete(sub_info->complete);
-	} else if (!wait)
-		complete(sub_info->complete);
+	}
 }
 
 /**
@@ -359,7 +364,7 @@
  * (ie. it runs with full root capabilities).
  */
 int call_usermodehelper_exec(struct subprocess_info *sub_info,
-			     int wait)
+			     enum umh_wait wait)
 {
 	DECLARE_COMPLETION_ONSTACK(done);
 	int retval;
@@ -378,7 +383,7 @@
 	sub_info->wait = wait;
 
 	queue_work(khelper_wq, &sub_info->work);
-	if (wait < 0) /* task has freed sub_info */
+	if (wait == UMH_NO_WAIT) /* task has freed sub_info */
 		return 0;
 	wait_for_completion(&done);
 	retval = sub_info->retval;
diff --git a/kernel/sys.c b/kernel/sys.c
index aeded9a..18987c7 100644
--- a/kernel/sys.c
+++ b/kernel/sys.c
@@ -2327,7 +2327,7 @@
 
 	call_usermodehelper_setcleanup(info, argv_cleanup);
 
-	ret = call_usermodehelper_exec(info, -1);
+	ret = call_usermodehelper_exec(info, UMH_NO_WAIT);
 
   out:
 	if (ret && force) {
diff --git a/lib/kobject_uevent.c b/lib/kobject_uevent.c
index 12e311d..bd5ecbb 100644
--- a/lib/kobject_uevent.c
+++ b/lib/kobject_uevent.c
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@
 		argv [0] = uevent_helper;
 		argv [1] = (char *)subsystem;
 		argv [2] = NULL;
-		call_usermodehelper (argv[0], argv, envp, 0);
+		call_usermodehelper (argv[0], argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_EXEC);
 	}
 
 exit:
diff --git a/net/bridge/br_stp_if.c b/net/bridge/br_stp_if.c
index a786e78..1ea2f86 100644
--- a/net/bridge/br_stp_if.c
+++ b/net/bridge/br_stp_if.c
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
 	char *argv[] = { BR_STP_PROG, br->dev->name, "start", NULL };
 	char *envp[] = { NULL };
 
-	r = call_usermodehelper(BR_STP_PROG, argv, envp, 1);
+	r = call_usermodehelper(BR_STP_PROG, argv, envp, UMH_WAIT_PROC);
 	if (r == 0) {
 		br->stp_enabled = BR_USER_STP;
 		printk(KERN_INFO "%s: userspace STP started\n", br->dev->name);
diff --git a/security/keys/request_key.c b/security/keys/request_key.c
index f573ac1..5575001 100644
--- a/security/keys/request_key.c
+++ b/security/keys/request_key.c
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@
 	argv[i] = NULL;
 
 	/* do it */
-	ret = call_usermodehelper_keys(argv[0], argv, envp, keyring, 1);
+	ret = call_usermodehelper_keys(argv[0], argv, envp, keyring,
+				       UMH_WAIT_PROC);
 
 error_link:
 	key_put(keyring);