diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/irq.h b/arch/x86/kvm/irq.h
index 59e05febc8fb8ecb51d6c5c022bdb2751f500f1d..26d8dd4a4323f6dbd04ac1fa102b7f043051de2d 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/irq.h
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/irq.h
@@ -85,10 +85,11 @@ static inline struct kvm_pic *pic_irqchip(struct kvm *kvm)
 
 static inline int pic_in_kernel(struct kvm *kvm)
 {
-	int ret;
+	int mode = kvm->arch.irqchip_mode;
 
-	ret = (pic_irqchip(kvm) != NULL);
-	return ret;
+	/* Matches smp_wmb() when setting irqchip_mode */
+	smp_rmb();
+	return mode == KVM_IRQCHIP_KERNEL;
 }
 
 static inline int irqchip_split(struct kvm *kvm)