diff --git a/cmds/dumpstate/DumpstateUtil.cpp b/cmds/dumpstate/DumpstateUtil.cpp
index 9faa63e..d517797 100644
--- a/cmds/dumpstate/DumpstateUtil.cpp
+++ b/cmds/dumpstate/DumpstateUtil.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "DumpstateUtil.h"
 
+#include <dirent.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <sys/prctl.h>
 #include <sys/wait.h>
@@ -25,7 +26,10 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 
+#include <android-base/file.h>
 #include <android-base/properties.h>
+#include <android-base/stringprintf.h>
+#include <android-base/strings.h>
 #include <cutils/log.h>
 
 #include "DumpstateInternal.h"
@@ -342,3 +346,31 @@
 
     return status;
 }
+
+int GetPidByName(const std::string& ps_name) {
+    DIR* proc_dir;
+    struct dirent* ps;
+    unsigned int pid;
+    std::string cmdline;
+
+    if (!(proc_dir = opendir("/proc"))) {
+        MYLOGE("Can't open /proc\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    while ((ps = readdir(proc_dir))) {
+        if (!(pid = atoi(ps->d_name))) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        android::base::ReadFileToString("/proc/" + std::string(ps->d_name) + "/cmdline", &cmdline);
+        if (cmdline.find(ps_name) == std::string::npos) {
+            continue;
+        } else {
+            closedir(proc_dir);
+            return pid;
+        }
+    }
+    MYLOGE("can't find the pid\n");
+    closedir(proc_dir);
+    return -1;
+}
diff --git a/cmds/dumpstate/DumpstateUtil.h b/cmds/dumpstate/DumpstateUtil.h
index 8bda6f2..c5ba83e 100644
--- a/cmds/dumpstate/DumpstateUtil.h
+++ b/cmds/dumpstate/DumpstateUtil.h
@@ -174,4 +174,10 @@
  */
 int DumpFileToFd(int fd, const std::string& title, const std::string& path);
 
+/*
+ * Finds the process id by process name.
+ * |ps_name| the process name we want to search for
+ */
+int GetPidByName(const std::string& ps_name);
+
 #endif  // FRAMEWORK_NATIVE_CMD_DUMPSTATE_UTIL_H_
diff --git a/cmds/dumpstate/dumpstate.cpp b/cmds/dumpstate/dumpstate.cpp
index 6d539c8..b6ea8a3 100644
--- a/cmds/dumpstate/dumpstate.cpp
+++ b/cmds/dumpstate/dumpstate.cpp
@@ -189,34 +189,7 @@
     closedir(d);
 }
 
-// return pid of a userspace process. If not found or error, return 0.
-static unsigned int pid_of_process(const char* ps_name) {
-    DIR *proc_dir;
-    struct dirent *ps;
-    unsigned int pid;
-    std::string cmdline;
 
-    if (!(proc_dir = opendir("/proc"))) {
-        MYLOGE("Can't open /proc\n");
-        return 0;
-    }
-
-    while ((ps = readdir(proc_dir))) {
-        if (!(pid = atoi(ps->d_name))) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        android::base::ReadFileToString("/proc/"
-                + std::string(ps->d_name) + "/cmdline", &cmdline);
-        if (cmdline.find(ps_name) == std::string::npos) {
-            continue;
-        } else {
-            closedir(proc_dir);
-            return pid;
-        }
-    }
-    closedir(proc_dir);
-    return 0;
-}
 
 // dump anrd's trace and add to the zip file.
 // 1. check if anrd is running on this device.
@@ -239,7 +212,7 @@
     }
 
     // find anrd's pid if it is running.
-    pid = pid_of_process("/system/xbin/anrd");
+    pid = GetPidByName("/system/xbin/anrd");
 
     if (pid > 0) {
         if (stat(trace_path, &st) == 0) {
diff --git a/cmds/dumpstate/tests/dumpstate_test.cpp b/cmds/dumpstate/tests/dumpstate_test.cpp
index 2e35112..5ca6102 100644
--- a/cmds/dumpstate/tests/dumpstate_test.cpp
+++ b/cmds/dumpstate/tests/dumpstate_test.cpp
@@ -845,6 +845,14 @@
         return status;
     }
 
+    // Find out the pid of the process_name
+    int FindPidOfProcess(const std::string& process_name) {
+        CaptureStderr();
+        int status = GetPidByName(process_name);
+        err = GetCapturedStderr();
+        return status;
+    }
+
     int fd;
 
     // 'fd` output and `stderr` from the last command ran.
@@ -1137,3 +1145,15 @@
         out, StartsWith("------ Might as well dump. Dump! (" + kTestDataPath + "single-line.txt:"));
     EXPECT_THAT(out, EndsWith("skipped on dry run\n"));
 }
+
+TEST_F(DumpstateUtilTest, FindingPidWithExistingProcess) {
+    // init process always has pid 1.
+    EXPECT_EQ(1, FindPidOfProcess("init"));
+    EXPECT_THAT(err, IsEmpty());
+}
+
+TEST_F(DumpstateUtilTest, FindingPidWithNotExistingProcess) {
+    // find the process with abnormal name.
+    EXPECT_EQ(-1, FindPidOfProcess("abcdef12345-543"));
+    EXPECT_THAT(err, StrEq("can't find the pid\n"));
+}