diff --git a/kernel/time/tick-sched.c b/kernel/time/tick-sched.c
index 0eed1db2d792..012142187db9 100644
--- a/kernel/time/tick-sched.c
+++ b/kernel/time/tick-sched.c
@@ -469,6 +469,7 @@ static bool can_stop_idle_tick(int cpu, struct tick_sched *ts)
 	if (unlikely(!cpu_online(cpu))) {
 		if (cpu == tick_do_timer_cpu)
 			tick_do_timer_cpu = TICK_DO_TIMER_NONE;
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	if (unlikely(ts->nohz_mode == NOHZ_MODE_INACTIVE))