diff --git a/binfmt/binfmt_execmodule.c b/binfmt/binfmt_execmodule.c
index 519e97bd5f..9c1ee0f246 100644
--- a/binfmt/binfmt_execmodule.c
+++ b/binfmt/binfmt_execmodule.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ int exec_module(FAR const struct binary_s *binp)
     }
 #endif
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_BUILD_KERNEL) && defined(CONFIG_MM_SHM)
+#ifdef CONFIG_MM_SHM
   /* Initialize the shared memory virtual page allocator */
 
   ret = shm_group_initialize(tcb->cmn.group);
@@ -254,12 +254,7 @@ int exec_module(FAR const struct binary_s *binp)
 
   /* Then activate the task at the provided priority */
 
-  ret = nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)tcb);
-  if (ret < 0)
-    {
-      berr("nxtask_activate() failed: %d\n", ret);
-      goto errout_with_tcbinit;
-    }
+  nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)tcb);
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_ARCH_ADDRENV) && defined(CONFIG_BUILD_KERNEL)
   /* Restore the address environment of the caller */
@@ -274,11 +269,13 @@ int exec_module(FAR const struct binary_s *binp)
 
   return (int)pid;
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_ARCH_ADDRENV) || defined(CONFIG_MM_SHM)
 errout_with_tcbinit:
   tcb->cmn.stack_alloc_ptr = NULL;
   nxsched_release_tcb(&tcb->cmn, TCB_FLAG_TTYPE_TASK);
   kumm_free(stack);
   return ret;
+#endif
 
 errout_with_addrenv:
 #if defined(CONFIG_ARCH_ADDRENV) && defined(CONFIG_BUILD_KERNEL)
diff --git a/include/nuttx/sched.h b/include/nuttx/sched.h
index a2c5778f84..e9650d57b6 100644
--- a/include/nuttx/sched.h
+++ b/include/nuttx/sched.h
@@ -989,11 +989,11 @@ void nxtask_uninit(FAR struct tcb_s *tcb);
  *         argument).
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   Always returns OK
+ *   None
  *
  ********************************************************************************/
 
-int nxtask_activate(FAR struct tcb_s *tcb);
+void nxtask_activate(FAR struct tcb_s *tcb);
 
 /********************************************************************************
  * Name: nxtask_starthook
diff --git a/sched/pthread/pthread_create.c b/sched/pthread/pthread_create.c
index 7526d84026..daef024476 100644
--- a/sched/pthread/pthread_create.c
+++ b/sched/pthread/pthread_create.c
@@ -553,11 +553,8 @@ int pthread_create(FAR pthread_t *thread, FAR const pthread_attr_t *attr,
   sched_lock();
   if (ret == OK)
     {
-      ret = nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)ptcb);
-    }
+      nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)ptcb);
 
-  if (ret == OK)
-    {
       /* Wait for the task to actually get running and to register
        * its join structure.
        */
diff --git a/sched/task/task_activate.c b/sched/task/task_activate.c
index 04c60ebb46..27f53137c6 100644
--- a/sched/task/task_activate.c
+++ b/sched/task/task_activate.c
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@
  *         argument).
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   Always returns OK
+ *   None
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-int nxtask_activate(FAR struct tcb_s *tcb)
+void nxtask_activate(FAR struct tcb_s *tcb)
 {
   irqstate_t flags = enter_critical_section();
 
@@ -79,5 +79,4 @@ int nxtask_activate(FAR struct tcb_s *tcb)
 
   up_unblock_task(tcb);
   leave_critical_section(flags);
-  return OK;
 }
diff --git a/sched/task/task_create.c b/sched/task/task_create.c
index 873f7588a3..c2259bea8a 100644
--- a/sched/task/task_create.c
+++ b/sched/task/task_create.c
@@ -145,12 +145,7 @@ static int nxthread_create(FAR const char *name, uint8_t ttype,
 
   /* Activate the task */
 
-  ret = nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)tcb);
-  if (ret < OK)
-    {
-      goto errout_with_active;
-    }
-
+  nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)tcb);
   return pid;
 
 errout_with_active:
diff --git a/sched/task/task_restart.c b/sched/task/task_restart.c
index 88e4007a0e..097a799937 100644
--- a/sched/task/task_restart.c
+++ b/sched/task/task_restart.c
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ int task_restart(pid_t pid)
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
   int cpu;
 #endif
-  int ret;
 
   /* Check if the task to restart is the calling task */
 
@@ -188,7 +187,7 @@ int task_restart(pid_t pid)
 
   if (cpu >= 0)
     {
-      ret = up_cpu_resume(cpu);
+      int ret = up_cpu_resume(cpu);
       if (ret < 0)
         {
           errcode = -ret;
@@ -201,14 +200,7 @@ int task_restart(pid_t pid)
 
   /* Activate the task. */
 
-  ret = nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)tcb);
-  if (ret != OK)
-    {
-      nxtask_terminate(pid, true);
-      errcode = -ret;
-      goto errout_with_lock;
-    }
-
+  nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)tcb);
   return OK;
 
 errout_with_lock:
diff --git a/sched/task/task_vfork.c b/sched/task/task_vfork.c
index f7751dde50..ec0a565c0e 100644
--- a/sched/task/task_vfork.c
+++ b/sched/task/task_vfork.c
@@ -434,13 +434,7 @@ pid_t nxtask_start_vfork(FAR struct task_tcb_s *child)
 
   /* Activate the task */
 
-  ret = nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)child);
-  if (ret < OK)
-    {
-      nxtask_abort_vfork(child, -ret);
-      sched_unlock();
-      return ERROR;
-    }
+  nxtask_activate((FAR struct tcb_s *)child);
 
   /* The child task has not yet ran because pre-emption is disabled.
    * The child task has the same priority as the parent task, so that