diff --git a/kernel/rcu/tree.c b/kernel/rcu/tree.c
index d03122f90cc4..5b5ed772f620 100644
--- a/kernel/rcu/tree.c
+++ b/kernel/rcu/tree.c
@@ -4223,15 +4223,16 @@ int rcutree_offline_cpu(unsigned int cpu)
  * Note that this function is special in that it is invoked directly
  * from the incoming CPU rather than from the cpuhp_step mechanism.
  * This is because this function must be invoked at a precise location.
+ * This incoming CPU must not have enabled interrupts yet.
  */
 void rcu_cpu_starting(unsigned int cpu)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
 	unsigned long mask;
 	struct rcu_data *rdp;
 	struct rcu_node *rnp;
 	bool newcpu;
 
+	lockdep_assert_irqs_disabled();
 	rdp = per_cpu_ptr(&rcu_data, cpu);
 	if (rdp->cpu_started)
 		return;
@@ -4239,7 +4240,6 @@ void rcu_cpu_starting(unsigned int cpu)
 
 	rnp = rdp->mynode;
 	mask = rdp->grpmask;
-	local_irq_save(flags);
 	arch_spin_lock(&rcu_state.ofl_lock);
 	rcu_dynticks_eqs_online();
 	raw_spin_lock(&rcu_state.barrier_lock);
@@ -4258,17 +4258,16 @@ void rcu_cpu_starting(unsigned int cpu)
 	/* An incoming CPU should never be blocking a grace period. */
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(rnp->qsmask & mask)) { /* RCU waiting on incoming CPU? */
 		/* rcu_report_qs_rnp() *really* wants some flags to restore */
-		unsigned long flags2;
+		unsigned long flags;
 
-		local_irq_save(flags2);
+		local_irq_save(flags);
 		rcu_disable_urgency_upon_qs(rdp);
 		/* Report QS -after- changing ->qsmaskinitnext! */
-		rcu_report_qs_rnp(mask, rnp, rnp->gp_seq, flags2);
+		rcu_report_qs_rnp(mask, rnp, rnp->gp_seq, flags);
 	} else {
 		raw_spin_unlock_rcu_node(rnp);
 	}
 	arch_spin_unlock(&rcu_state.ofl_lock);
-	local_irq_restore(flags);
 	smp_mb(); /* Ensure RCU read-side usage follows above initialization. */
 }