diff --git a/Kernel/Process.cpp b/Kernel/Process.cpp
index 491f79486c..b0a25a330d 100644
--- a/Kernel/Process.cpp
+++ b/Kernel/Process.cpp
@@ -181,6 +181,10 @@ RefPtr<Process> Process::create_user_process(RefPtr<Thread>& first_thread, const
 
     register_new(*process);
     error = 0;
+
+    // NOTE: All user processes have a leaked ref on them. It's balanced by Thread::WaitBlockCondition::finalize().
+    (void)process.leak_ref();
+
     return process;
 }
 
diff --git a/Kernel/Syscalls/fork.cpp b/Kernel/Syscalls/fork.cpp
index b4782d1077..d1c3303784 100644
--- a/Kernel/Syscalls/fork.cpp
+++ b/Kernel/Syscalls/fork.cpp
@@ -119,9 +119,10 @@ KResultOr<FlatPtr> Process::sys$fork(RegisterState& regs)
     child_first_thread->set_state(Thread::State::Runnable);
 
     auto child_pid = child->pid().value();
-    // We need to leak one reference so we don't destroy the Process,
-    // which will be dropped by Process::reap
+
+    // NOTE: All user processes have a leaked ref on them. It's balanced by Thread::WaitBlockCondition::finalize().
     (void)child.leak_ref();
+
     return child_pid;
 }
 
diff --git a/Kernel/ThreadBlockers.cpp b/Kernel/ThreadBlockers.cpp
index 1b866f33a2..9724b8b3c6 100644
--- a/Kernel/ThreadBlockers.cpp
+++ b/Kernel/ThreadBlockers.cpp
@@ -580,10 +580,13 @@ void Thread::WaitBlockCondition::finalize()
     // Clear the list of threads here so we can drop the references to them
     m_processes.clear();
 
-    // No more waiters, drop the last reference immediately. This may
-    // cause us to be destructed ourselves!
-    VERIFY(m_process.ref_count() > 0);
-    m_process.unref();
+    // NOTE: Kernel processes don't have a leaked ref on them.
+    if (!is_kernel_mode()) {
+        // No more waiters, drop the last reference immediately. This may
+        // cause us to be destructed ourselves!
+        VERIFY(m_process.ref_count() > 0);
+        m_process.unref();
+    }
 }
 
 Thread::WaitBlocker::WaitBlocker(int wait_options, idtype_t id_type, pid_t id, KResultOr<siginfo_t>& result)