diff --git a/arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/ldt.h b/arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/ldt.h
index 46727eb37bfe..6e1aaf73852a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/ldt.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/ldt.h
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ struct user_desc {
 	unsigned int  seg_not_present:1;
 	unsigned int  useable:1;
 #ifdef __x86_64__
+	/*
+	 * Because this bit is not present in 32-bit user code, user
+	 * programs can pass uninitialized values here.  Therefore, in
+	 * any context in which a user_desc comes from a 32-bit program,
+	 * the kernel must act as though lm == 0, regardless of the
+	 * actual value.
+	 */
 	unsigned int  lm:1;
 #endif
 };
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/tls.c b/arch/x86/kernel/tls.c
index 3e551eee87b9..4e942f31b1a7 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/tls.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/tls.c
@@ -55,12 +55,6 @@ static bool tls_desc_okay(const struct user_desc *info)
 	if (info->seg_not_present)
 		return false;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_X86_64
-	/* The L bit makes no sense for data. */
-	if (info->lm)
-		return false;
-#endif
-
 	return true;
 }