diff --git a/drivers/tty/tty_ldsem.c b/drivers/tty/tty_ldsem.c
index 717292c1c0df..60ff236a3d63 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/tty_ldsem.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/tty_ldsem.c
@@ -93,8 +93,7 @@ static void __ldsem_wake_readers(struct ld_semaphore *sem)
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(waiter, next, &sem->read_wait, list) {
 		tsk = waiter->task;
-		smp_mb();
-		waiter->task = NULL;
+		smp_store_release(&waiter->task, NULL);
 		wake_up_process(tsk);
 		put_task_struct(tsk);
 	}
@@ -194,7 +193,7 @@ down_read_failed(struct ld_semaphore *sem, long count, long timeout)
 	for (;;) {
 		set_current_state(TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE);
 
-		if (!waiter.task)
+		if (!smp_load_acquire(&waiter.task))
 			break;
 		if (!timeout)
 			break;