diff --git a/kernel/exec.c b/kernel/exec.c
index 9f9bc28a69..5cdc3079cb 100644
--- a/kernel/exec.c
+++ b/kernel/exec.c
@@ -598,11 +598,7 @@ int __do_execve(const char *file, struct exec_args argv, struct exec_args envp)
     char threadname[16];
     strncpy(threadname, current->comm, sizeof(threadname)-1);
     threadname[15] = '\0';
-#if __APPLE__
-    pthread_setname_np(threadname);
-#else
-    pthread_setname_np(pthread_self(), threadname);
-#endif
+    set_thread_name(threadname);
 
     // cloexec
     // consider putting this in fd.c?
diff --git a/kernel/task.c b/kernel/task.c
index f413325d39..5a10087ece 100644
--- a/kernel/task.c
+++ b/kernel/task.c
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ void (*task_run_hook)(void) = NULL;
 
 static void *task_run(void *task) {
     current = task;
+    set_thread_name(current->comm);
     if (task_run_hook)
         task_run_hook();
     else
diff --git a/util/sync.h b/util/sync.h
index 29345b976a..21eba0cdbd 100644
--- a/util/sync.h
+++ b/util/sync.h
@@ -118,4 +118,10 @@ static inline void sigunwind_end() {
     should_unwind = false;
 }
 
+#if __APPLE__
+#define set_thread_name(threadname) pthread_setname_np(threadname)
+#else
+#define set_thread_name(threadname) pthread_setname_np(pthread_self(), threadname)
+#endif
+
 #endif