diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/smp.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/smp.c
index 226b6bf6e9c2..538300f2273d 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/smp.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/smp.c
@@ -211,8 +211,7 @@ asmlinkage void __cpuinit secondary_start_kernel(void)
 	 * before we continue.
 	 */
 	set_cpu_online(cpu, true);
-	while (!cpu_active(cpu))
-		cpu_relax();
+	complete(&cpu_running);
 
 	/*
 	 * OK, it's off to the idle thread for us