Let G be a finite group and let T (G) be the abelian group of equivalence classes of endotrivial kG-modules, where k is an algebraically closed field of characteristic p. We determine, in terms of the structure of G, the kernel of the restriction map from T (G) to T (S), where S is a Sylow p-subgroup of G, in the case when S is abelian. This provides a classification of all torsion endotrivial kG-modules in that case.