diff --git a/HISTORY.rst b/HISTORY.rst
index 8f49025b7..f69c5fb63 100644
--- a/HISTORY.rst
+++ b/HISTORY.rst
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ XXXX-XX-XX
 
 - 1273_: net_if_addr() namedtuple's name has been renamed from "snic" to
   "snicaddr".
+- 1274_: [Linux] there was a small chance Process.children() may swallow
+  AccessDenied exceptions.
 
 5.4.5
 =====
diff --git a/psutil/__init__.py b/psutil/__init__.py
index 2ecd3bddf..5e9a7fb6c 100644
--- a/psutil/__init__.py
+++ b/psutil/__init__.py
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@
 ]
 __all__.extend(_psplatform.__extra__all__)
 __author__ = "Giampaolo Rodola'"
-__version__ = "5.4.5"
+__version__ = "5.4.6"
 version_info = tuple([int(num) for num in __version__.split('.')])
 AF_LINK = _psplatform.AF_LINK
 POWER_TIME_UNLIMITED = _common.POWER_TIME_UNLIMITED
@@ -265,13 +265,9 @@ def _ppid_map():
         ret = {}
         for pid in pids():
             try:
-                proc = _psplatform.Process(pid)
-                ppid = proc.ppid()
-            except (NoSuchProcess, AccessDenied):
-                # Note: AccessDenied is unlikely to happen.
+                ret[pid] = _psplatform.Process(pid).ppid()
+            except (NoSuchProcess, ZombieProcess):
                 pass
-            else:
-                ret[pid] = ppid
         return ret
 
 
diff --git a/psutil/_pslinux.py b/psutil/_pslinux.py
index 78c03d5c5..b197dba33 100644
--- a/psutil/_pslinux.py
+++ b/psutil/_pslinux.py
@@ -1380,9 +1380,8 @@ def ppid_map():
                 data = f.read()
         except EnvironmentError as err:
             # Note: we should be able to access /stat for all processes
-            # so we won't bump into EPERM, which is good.
-            if err.errno not in (errno.ENOENT, errno.ESRCH,
-                                 errno.EPERM, errno.EACCES):
+            # aka it's unlikely we'll bump into EPERM, which is good.
+            if err.errno not in (errno.ENOENT, errno.ESRCH):
                 raise
         else:
             rpar = data.rfind(b')')