Index: kernel/generic/src/mm/as.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/mm/as.c	(revision 6785b88b8b93d8f20833383597631d0714e3789c)
+++ kernel/generic/src/mm/as.c	(revision b2941268bdf4d8343f1272eb1abf67d33643e63e)
@@ -141,10 +141,4 @@
 	if (!AS_KERNEL)
 		panic("Cannot create kernel address space.");
-
-	/*
-	 * Make sure the kernel address space
-	 * reference count never drops to zero.
-	 */
-	as_hold(AS_KERNEL);
 }
 
Index: kernel/generic/src/proc/task.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/proc/task.c	(revision 6785b88b8b93d8f20833383597631d0714e3789c)
+++ kernel/generic/src/proc/task.c	(revision b2941268bdf4d8343f1272eb1abf67d33643e63e)
@@ -254,9 +254,4 @@
 	futex_task_init(task);
 
-	/*
-	 * Get a reference to the address space.
-	 */
-	as_hold(task->as);
-
 	irq_spinlock_lock(&tasks_lock, true);