diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/smpboot.c b/arch/x86/kernel/smpboot.c
index d3010aa79daf..b1f3ed9c7a9e 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/smpboot.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/smpboot.c
@@ -992,8 +992,17 @@ int native_cpu_up(unsigned int cpu, struct task_struct *tidle)
 
 	common_cpu_up(cpu, tidle);
 
+	/*
+	 * We have to walk the irq descriptors to setup the vector
+	 * space for the cpu which comes online.  Prevent irq
+	 * alloc/free across the bringup.
+	 */
+	irq_lock_sparse();
+
 	err = do_boot_cpu(apicid, cpu, tidle);
+
 	if (err) {
+		irq_unlock_sparse();
 		pr_err("do_boot_cpu failed(%d) to wakeup CPU#%u\n", err, cpu);
 		return -EIO;
 	}
@@ -1011,6 +1020,8 @@ int native_cpu_up(unsigned int cpu, struct task_struct *tidle)
 		touch_nmi_watchdog();
 	}
 
+	irq_unlock_sparse();
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/kernel/cpu.c b/kernel/cpu.c
index 6a374544d495..5644ec5582b9 100644
--- a/kernel/cpu.c
+++ b/kernel/cpu.c
@@ -527,18 +527,9 @@ static int _cpu_up(unsigned int cpu, int tasks_frozen)
 		goto out_notify;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Some architectures have to walk the irq descriptors to
-	 * setup the vector space for the cpu which comes online.
-	 * Prevent irq alloc/free across the bringup.
-	 */
-	irq_lock_sparse();
-
 	/* Arch-specific enabling code. */
 	ret = __cpu_up(cpu, idle);
 
-	irq_unlock_sparse();
-
 	if (ret != 0)
 		goto out_notify;
 	BUG_ON(!cpu_online(cpu));