diff --git a/kernel/sched/fair.c b/kernel/sched/fair.c
index 2decb431071ebedd0baaa09d2a747000f98bafbb..87dc36f7800d9b6d48c9c9a463b98327a1d7e7b2 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/fair.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/fair.c
@@ -2046,8 +2046,8 @@ static u64 numa_get_avg_runtime(struct task_struct *p, u64 *period)
 		delta = runtime - p->last_sum_exec_runtime;
 		*period = now - p->last_task_numa_placement;
 
-		/* Avoid backward, and prevent potential divide error */
-		if ((s64)*period < 0)
+		/* Avoid time going backwards, prevent potential divide error: */
+		if (unlikely((s64)*period < 0))
 			*period = 0;
 	} else {
 		delta = p->se.avg.load_sum;