diff --git a/kernel/rcu/tree_plugin.h b/kernel/rcu/tree_plugin.h
index 3ec85cb5d544..d59913ef8360 100644
--- a/kernel/rcu/tree_plugin.h
+++ b/kernel/rcu/tree_plugin.h
@@ -1127,7 +1127,8 @@ static int rcu_boost(struct rcu_node *rnp)
 	struct task_struct *t;
 	struct list_head *tb;
 
-	if (rnp->exp_tasks == NULL && rnp->boost_tasks == NULL)
+	if (ACCESS_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks) == NULL &&
+	    ACCESS_ONCE(rnp->boost_tasks) == NULL)
 		return 0;  /* Nothing left to boost. */
 
 	raw_spin_lock_irqsave(&rnp->lock, flags);