diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_ktrace.c b/sys/kern/kern_ktrace.c
index 84f3a5631e44..643b558cb174 100644
--- a/sys/kern/kern_ktrace.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_ktrace.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: kern_ktrace.c,v 1.43 2000/05/28 15:27:51 sommerfeld Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: kern_ktrace.c,v 1.44 2000/05/29 22:04:11 sommerfeld Exp $	*/
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1989, 1993
@@ -61,6 +61,22 @@ int	ktrsetchildren __P((struct proc *, struct proc *, int, int,
     struct file *));
 int	ktrwrite __P((struct proc *, struct ktr_header *));
 int	ktrcanset __P((struct proc *, struct proc *));
+int	ktrsamefile __P((struct file *, struct file *));
+
+/*
+ * "deep" compare of two files for the purposes of clearing a trace.
+ * Returns true if they're the same open file, or if they point at the
+ * same underlying vnode/socket.
+ */
+
+int
+ktrsamefile (f1, f2)
+	struct file *f1, *f2;
+{
+	return ((f1 == f2) ||
+	    ((f1->f_type == f2->f_type) &&
+		(f1->f_data == f2->f_data)));
+}
 
 void
 ktrderef(p)
@@ -311,7 +327,7 @@ ktrace_common (curp, ops, facs, pid, fp)
 		proclist_lock_read();
 		for (p = LIST_FIRST(&allproc); p != NULL;
 		     p = LIST_NEXT(p, p_list)) {
-			if (p->p_tracep == fp) {
+			if (ktrsamefile(p->p_tracep, fp)) {
 				if (ktrcanset(curp, p))
 					ktrderef(p);
 				else
@@ -476,8 +492,8 @@ done:
 	if (vp != NULL)
 		(void) vn_close(vp, FWRITE, curp->p_ucred, curp);
 	if (fp != NULL) {
-		fdrelease(curp, fd); 	/* release fd table slot */
 		FILE_UNUSE(fp, curp);	/* release file */
+		fdrelease(curp, fd); 	/* release fd table slot */
 	}
 	return (error);
 }
@@ -606,7 +622,7 @@ ktrwrite(p, kth)
 		    error);
 	proclist_lock_read();
 	for (p = LIST_FIRST(&allproc); p != NULL; p = LIST_NEXT(p, p_list)) {
-		if (p->p_tracep == fp)
+		if (ktrsamefile(p->p_tracep, fp))
 			ktrderef(p);
 	}
 	proclist_unlock_read();