diff --git a/src/core/process.c b/src/core/process.c
index d46737b0..d968febf 100644
--- a/src/core/process.c
+++ b/src/core/process.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ static LIST_HEAD ( run_queue );
  * have no effect.
  */
 void process_add ( struct process *process ) {
-	if ( list_empty ( &process->list ) ) {
+	if ( ! process_running ( process ) ) {
 		DBGC ( process, "PROCESS %p starting\n", process );
 		ref_get ( process->refcnt );
 		list_add_tail ( &process->list, &run_queue );
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void process_add ( struct process *process ) {
  * have no effect.
  */
 void process_del ( struct process *process ) {
-	if ( ! list_empty ( &process->list ) ) {
+	if ( process_running ( process ) ) {
 		DBGC ( process, "PROCESS %p stopping\n", process );
 		list_del ( &process->list );
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD ( &process->list );
diff --git a/src/include/ipxe/process.h b/src/include/ipxe/process.h
index 7cd5b91a..45c2af63 100644
--- a/src/include/ipxe/process.h
+++ b/src/include/ipxe/process.h
@@ -66,6 +66,17 @@ process_init ( struct process *process,
 	process_add ( process );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Check if process is running
+ *
+ * @v process		Process
+ * @ret running		Process is running
+ */
+static inline __attribute__ (( always_inline )) int
+process_running ( struct process *process ) {
+	return ( ! list_empty ( &process->list ) );
+}
+
 /** Permanent process table */
 #define PERMANENT_PROCESSES __table ( struct process, "processes" )