diff --git a/reactos/ntoskrnl/ps/kill.c b/reactos/ntoskrnl/ps/kill.c
index 7cb67649c18..6e4b8a74c50 100644
--- a/reactos/ntoskrnl/ps/kill.c
+++ b/reactos/ntoskrnl/ps/kill.c
@@ -524,6 +524,9 @@ PspExitProcess(PEPROCESS Process)
     ObKillProcess(Process);
 
     KeSetProcess(&Process->Pcb, IO_NO_INCREMENT);
+    
+    /* release the keep-alive reference of the process object */
+    ObDereferenceObject(Process);
 
     return(STATUS_SUCCESS);
 }