--- xx/kernel/fork.c.~1~	2003-05-22 17:19:21.000000000 +0200
+++ xx/kernel/fork.c	2003-05-22 17:22:09.000000000 +0200
@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ void __init fork_init(unsigned long memp
 	 */
 	max_threads = mempages / (THREAD_SIZE/PAGE_SIZE) / 8;
 
+	/* don't let threads go beyond PID_NR */
+	if (max_threads > PID_NR)
+		max_threads = PID_NR;
+
 	init_task.rlim[RLIMIT_NPROC].rlim_cur = max_threads/2;
 	init_task.rlim[RLIMIT_NPROC].rlim_max = max_threads/2;
 }