diff --git a/kernel/kallsyms.c b/kernel/kallsyms.c
index fe9de067771c..a0d3f0865916 100644
--- a/kernel/kallsyms.c
+++ b/kernel/kallsyms.c
@@ -177,6 +177,10 @@ unsigned long kallsyms_lookup_name(const char *name)
 	return module_kallsyms_lookup_name(name);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Iterate over all symbols in vmlinux.  For symbols from modules use
+ * module_kallsyms_on_each_symbol instead.
+ */
 int kallsyms_on_each_symbol(int (*fn)(void *, const char *, struct module *,
 				      unsigned long),
 			    void *data)
@@ -192,7 +196,7 @@ int kallsyms_on_each_symbol(int (*fn)(void *, const char *, struct module *,
 		if (ret != 0)
 			return ret;
 	}
-	return module_kallsyms_on_each_symbol(fn, data);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static unsigned long get_symbol_pos(unsigned long addr,
diff --git a/kernel/livepatch/core.c b/kernel/livepatch/core.c
index 262cd9b003b9..335d988bd811 100644
--- a/kernel/livepatch/core.c
+++ b/kernel/livepatch/core.c
@@ -164,12 +164,10 @@ static int klp_find_object_symbol(const char *objname, const char *name,
 		.pos = sympos,
 	};
 
-	mutex_lock(&module_mutex);
 	if (objname)
 		module_kallsyms_on_each_symbol(klp_find_callback, &args);
 	else
 		kallsyms_on_each_symbol(klp_find_callback, &args);
-	mutex_unlock(&module_mutex);
 
 	/*
 	 * Ensure an address was found. If sympos is 0, ensure symbol is unique;
diff --git a/kernel/module.c b/kernel/module.c
index 63cc03393a07..481eb348564e 100644
--- a/kernel/module.c
+++ b/kernel/module.c
@@ -255,11 +255,6 @@ static void mod_update_bounds(struct module *mod)
 struct list_head *kdb_modules = &modules; /* kdb needs the list of modules */
 #endif /* CONFIG_KGDB_KDB */
 
-static void module_assert_mutex(void)
-{
-	lockdep_assert_held(&module_mutex);
-}
-
 static void module_assert_mutex_or_preempt(void)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_LOCKDEP
@@ -4501,8 +4496,7 @@ int module_kallsyms_on_each_symbol(int (*fn)(void *, const char *,
 	unsigned int i;
 	int ret;
 
-	module_assert_mutex();
-
+	mutex_lock(&module_mutex);
 	list_for_each_entry(mod, &modules, list) {
 		/* We hold module_mutex: no need for rcu_dereference_sched */
 		struct mod_kallsyms *kallsyms = mod->kallsyms;
@@ -4518,10 +4512,11 @@ int module_kallsyms_on_each_symbol(int (*fn)(void *, const char *,
 			ret = fn(data, kallsyms_symbol_name(kallsyms, i),
 				 mod, kallsyms_symbol_value(sym));
 			if (ret != 0)
-				return ret;
+				break;
 		}
 	}
-	return 0;
+	mutex_unlock(&module_mutex);
+	return ret;
 }
 #endif /* CONFIG_KALLSYMS */