diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/idle_book3s.S b/arch/powerpc/kernel/idle_book3s.S
index 0d8712a835d2cde0bca92bae88d223ae858f4b6b..72dac0b58061f023db4a4c8a4b6badd66bcd0b70 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/idle_book3s.S
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/idle_book3s.S
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ ALT_FTR_SECTION_END_IFSET(CPU_FTR_ARCH_300)
  * Threads will spin in HMT_LOW until the lock bit is cleared.
  * r14 - pointer to core_idle_state
  * r15 - used to load contents of core_idle_state
+ * r9  - used as a temporary variable
  */
 
 core_idle_lock_held:
@@ -99,6 +100,8 @@ core_idle_lock_held:
 	bne	3b
 	HMT_MEDIUM
 	lwarx	r15,0,r14
+	andi.	r9,r15,PNV_CORE_IDLE_LOCK_BIT
+	bne	core_idle_lock_held
 	blr
 
 /*