chef-client causes kernel trace on 12.04.1 on EC2 t1.micro

We are running Opscode chef on our infrastructure, which is 12.04.1 LTS on AWS EC2, using t1.micro, m1.small, m1.large and larger instances.

These instances are built using ami-db595faf (m1.micros) and ami-f3595f87 (all other sizes), referenced at http://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/releases/precise/release-20120822/

We have a reproducible kernel trace on t1.micro instances when chef-client is started. Many defunct chef-client processes are left on the box and the load climbs and remains high (even for a constrained instance like a t1.micro).

Steps to reproduce:

1. Start t1.micro instance on EC2 using ami-db595faf
2. Install omnibus chef package
3. service chef-client start

This has occurred and confirmed with 3.2.0-29-virtual and 3.2.0-31-virtual from precise-proposed. We have seen a trace with 3.2.0-30-virtual, but I haven't verified that trace is the same issue (although it is likely).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-31-virtual 3.2.0-31.50
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-31.50-virtual 3.2.28
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-31-virtual x86_64
AcpiTables:

AlsaDevices:
 total 0
 crw-rw---T 1 root audio 116, 1 Sep 21 12:13 seq
 crw-rw---T 1 root audio 116, 33 Sep 21 12:13 timer
AplayDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu13
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/seq', '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
Date: Fri Sep 21 13:20:17 2012
Ec2AMI: ami-db595faf
Ec2AMIManifest: (unknown)
Ec2AvailabilityZone: eu-west-1b
Ec2InstanceType: t1.micro
Ec2Kernel: aki-62695816
Ec2Ramdisk: unavailable
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
Lspci:

Lsusb: Error: command ['lsusb'] failed with exit code 1: unable to initialize libusb: -99
PciMultimedia:

ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB:

ProcKernelCmdLine: root=LABEL=cloudimg-rootfs ro console=hvc0
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-31-virtual N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-31-virtual N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.1
RfKill: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
---
AcpiTables:

AlsaDevices:
 total 0
 crw-rw---T 1 root audio 116, 1 Sep 21 12:13 seq
 crw-rw---T 1 root audio 116, 33 Sep 21 12:13 timer
AplayDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu13
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/seq', '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Ec2AMI: ami-db595faf
Ec2AMIManifest: (unknown)
Ec2AvailabilityZone: eu-west-1b
Ec2InstanceType: t1.micro
Ec2Kernel: aki-62695816
Ec2Ramdisk: unavailable
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
Lspci:

Lsusb: Error: command ['lsusb'] failed with exit code 1: unable to initialize libusb: -99
Package: linux (not installed)
PciMultimedia:

ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB:

ProcKernelCmdLine: root=LABEL=cloudimg-rootfs ro console=hvc0
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-31.50-virtual 3.2.28
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-31-virtual N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-31-virtual N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.1
RfKill: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Tags: precise ec2-images
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-31-virtual x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: