diff --git a/fs/exec.c b/fs/exec.c
index e0435b31a811..5f16500ac325 100644
--- a/fs/exec.c
+++ b/fs/exec.c
@@ -1200,16 +1200,16 @@ char *__get_task_comm(char *buf, size_t buf_size, struct task_struct *tsk)
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(__get_task_comm);
 
 /*
- * These functions flushes out all traces of the currently running executable
- * so that a new one can be started
+ * This is unlocked -- the string will always be NUL-terminated, but
+ * may show overlapping contents if racing concurrent reads.
  */
-
 void __set_task_comm(struct task_struct *tsk, const char *buf, bool exec)
 {
-	task_lock(tsk);
+	size_t len = min(strlen(buf), sizeof(tsk->comm) - 1);
+
 	trace_task_rename(tsk, buf);
-	strscpy_pad(tsk->comm, buf, sizeof(tsk->comm));
-	task_unlock(tsk);
+	memcpy(tsk->comm, buf, len);
+	memset(&tsk->comm[len], 0, sizeof(tsk->comm) - len);
 	perf_event_comm(tsk, exec);
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/sched.h b/include/linux/sched.h
index e6ee4258169a..ac9f429ddc17 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched.h
@@ -1932,11 +1932,10 @@ static inline void kick_process(struct task_struct *tsk) { }
 #endif
 
 extern void __set_task_comm(struct task_struct *tsk, const char *from, bool exec);
-
-static inline void set_task_comm(struct task_struct *tsk, const char *from)
-{
-	__set_task_comm(tsk, from, false);
-}
+#define set_task_comm(tsk, from) ({			\
+	BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(from) != TASK_COMM_LEN);	\
+	__set_task_comm(tsk, from, false);		\
+})
 
 extern char *__get_task_comm(char *to, size_t len, struct task_struct *tsk);
 #define get_task_comm(buf, tsk) ({			\
diff --git a/io_uring/io-wq.c b/io_uring/io-wq.c
index a38f36b68060..5d0928f37471 100644
--- a/io_uring/io-wq.c
+++ b/io_uring/io-wq.c
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ static int io_wq_worker(void *data)
 	struct io_wq_acct *acct = io_wq_get_acct(worker);
 	struct io_wq *wq = worker->wq;
 	bool exit_mask = false, last_timeout = false;
-	char buf[TASK_COMM_LEN];
+	char buf[TASK_COMM_LEN] = {};
 
 	set_mask_bits(&worker->flags, 0,
 		      BIT(IO_WORKER_F_UP) | BIT(IO_WORKER_F_RUNNING));
diff --git a/io_uring/sqpoll.c b/io_uring/sqpoll.c
index a26593979887..90011f06c7fb 100644
--- a/io_uring/sqpoll.c
+++ b/io_uring/sqpoll.c
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ static int io_sq_thread(void *data)
 	struct io_ring_ctx *ctx;
 	struct rusage start;
 	unsigned long timeout = 0;
-	char buf[TASK_COMM_LEN];
+	char buf[TASK_COMM_LEN] = {};
 	DEFINE_WAIT(wait);
 
 	/* offload context creation failed, just exit */
diff --git a/kernel/kthread.c b/kernel/kthread.c
index db4ceb0f503c..162d55811744 100644
--- a/kernel/kthread.c
+++ b/kernel/kthread.c
@@ -736,10 +736,11 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(kthread_stop_put);
 
 int kthreadd(void *unused)
 {
+	static const char comm[TASK_COMM_LEN] = "kthreadd";
 	struct task_struct *tsk = current;
 
 	/* Setup a clean context for our children to inherit. */
-	set_task_comm(tsk, "kthreadd");
+	set_task_comm(tsk, comm);
 	ignore_signals(tsk);
 	set_cpus_allowed_ptr(tsk, housekeeping_cpumask(HK_TYPE_KTHREAD));
 	set_mems_allowed(node_states[N_MEMORY]);