diff --git a/kernel/cpu.c b/kernel/cpu.c
index 9a7be0db5820..88455b412deb 100644
--- a/kernel/cpu.c
+++ b/kernel/cpu.c
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ struct hotplug_pcp {
 	int refcount;
 	int grab_lock;
 	struct completion synced;
+	struct completion unplug_wait;
 #ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT_FULL
 	/*
 	 * Note, on PREEMPT_RT, the hotplug lock must save the state of
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ static int sync_unplug_thread(void *data)
 {
 	struct hotplug_pcp *hp = data;
 
+	wait_for_completion(&hp->unplug_wait);
 	preempt_disable();
 	hp->unplug = current;
 	wait_for_pinned_cpus(hp);
@@ -251,6 +253,14 @@ static void __cpu_unplug_sync(struct hotplug_pcp *hp)
 	wait_for_completion(&hp->synced);
 }
 
+static void __cpu_unplug_wait(unsigned int cpu)
+{
+	struct hotplug_pcp *hp = &per_cpu(hotplug_pcp, cpu);
+
+	complete(&hp->unplug_wait);
+	wait_for_completion(&hp->synced);
+}
+
 /*
  * Start the sync_unplug_thread on the target cpu and wait for it to
  * complete.
@@ -274,6 +284,7 @@ static int cpu_unplug_begin(unsigned int cpu)
 	tell_sched_cpu_down_begin(cpu);
 
 	init_completion(&hp->synced);
+	init_completion(&hp->unplug_wait);
 
 	hp->sync_tsk = kthread_create(sync_unplug_thread, hp, "sync_unplug/%d", cpu);
 	if (IS_ERR(hp->sync_tsk)) {
@@ -289,8 +300,7 @@ static int cpu_unplug_begin(unsigned int cpu)
 	 * wait for tasks that are going to enter these sections and
 	 * we must not have them block.
 	 */
-	__cpu_unplug_sync(hp);
-
+	wake_up_process(hp->sync_tsk);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -615,6 +625,7 @@ static int __ref _cpu_down(unsigned int cpu, int tasks_frozen)
 #endif
 	synchronize_rcu();
 
+	__cpu_unplug_wait(cpu);
 	smpboot_park_threads(cpu);
 
 	/* Notifiers are done. Don't let any more tasks pin this CPU. */