diff --git a/arch/powerpc/include/asm/ptrace.h b/arch/powerpc/include/asm/ptrace.h
index 0175a676b34b..48223f9b8728 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/include/asm/ptrace.h
+++ b/arch/powerpc/include/asm/ptrace.h
@@ -125,8 +125,10 @@ extern int ptrace_put_reg(struct task_struct *task, int regno,
 #endif /* ! __powerpc64__ */
 #define TRAP(regs)		((regs)->trap & ~0xF)
 #ifdef __powerpc64__
+#define NV_REG_POISON		0xdeadbeefdeadbeefUL
 #define CHECK_FULL_REGS(regs)	BUG_ON(regs->trap & 1)
 #else
+#define NV_REG_POISON		0xdeadbeef
 #define CHECK_FULL_REGS(regs)						      \
 do {									      \
 	if ((regs)->trap & 1)						      \
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/ptrace.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/ptrace.c
index 906536998291..895b082f1e48 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/ptrace.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/ptrace.c
@@ -229,12 +229,16 @@ static int gpr_get(struct task_struct *target, const struct user_regset *regset,
 		   unsigned int pos, unsigned int count,
 		   void *kbuf, void __user *ubuf)
 {
-	int ret;
+	int i, ret;
 
 	if (target->thread.regs == NULL)
 		return -EIO;
 
-	CHECK_FULL_REGS(target->thread.regs);
+	if (!FULL_REGS(target->thread.regs)) {
+		/* We have a partial register set.  Fill 14-31 with bogus values */
+		for (i = 14; i < 32; i++)
+			target->thread.regs->gpr[i] = NV_REG_POISON;
+	}
 
 	ret = user_regset_copyout(&pos, &count, &kbuf, &ubuf,
 				  target->thread.regs,
@@ -641,11 +645,16 @@ static int gpr32_get(struct task_struct *target,
 	compat_ulong_t *k = kbuf;
 	compat_ulong_t __user *u = ubuf;
 	compat_ulong_t reg;
+	int i;
 
 	if (target->thread.regs == NULL)
 		return -EIO;
 
-	CHECK_FULL_REGS(target->thread.regs);
+	if (!FULL_REGS(target->thread.regs)) {
+		/* We have a partial register set.  Fill 14-31 with bogus values */
+		for (i = 14; i < 32; i++)
+			target->thread.regs->gpr[i] = NV_REG_POISON; 
+	}
 
 	pos /= sizeof(reg);
 	count /= sizeof(reg);