diff --git a/arch/powerpc/platforms/cell/smp.c b/arch/powerpc/platforms/cell/smp.c
index d35dbbc8ec7919fe12287ad075b12c40312b4ffc..f75f6fcac7296267d44b8a28d3d2b16446878acc 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/platforms/cell/smp.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/platforms/cell/smp.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ static int smp_cell_cpu_bootable(unsigned int nr)
 	 * during boot if the user requests it.  Odd-numbered
 	 * cpus are assumed to be secondary threads.
 	 */
-	if (system_state < SYSTEM_RUNNING &&
+	if (system_state == SYSTEM_BOOTING &&
 	    cpu_has_feature(CPU_FTR_SMT) &&
 	    !smt_enabled_at_boot && cpu_thread_in_core(nr) != 0)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c b/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c
index 88c9459c3e07121a64765e4304bcbb4dd7a1b2a4..77784aead1c25217719b3e12616b99c23ec1539c 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/smp.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static int pnv_smp_cpu_bootable(unsigned int nr)
 	/* Special case - we inhibit secondary thread startup
 	 * during boot if the user requests it.
 	 */
-	if (system_state < SYSTEM_RUNNING && cpu_has_feature(CPU_FTR_SMT)) {
+	if (system_state == SYSTEM_BOOTING && cpu_has_feature(CPU_FTR_SMT)) {
 		if (!smt_enabled_at_boot && cpu_thread_in_core(nr) != 0)
 			return 0;
 		if (smt_enabled_at_boot
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c b/arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c
index 12bc8c3663add73a4402074d2fa2919e01d3aa09..306643cc9dbcc6cf8d1a317a84fc98c2c4af0c10 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/platforms/pseries/smp.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ static int smp_pSeries_cpu_bootable(unsigned int nr)
 	/* Special case - we inhibit secondary thread startup
 	 * during boot if the user requests it.
 	 */
-	if (system_state < SYSTEM_RUNNING && cpu_has_feature(CPU_FTR_SMT)) {
+	if (system_state == SYSTEM_BOOTING && cpu_has_feature(CPU_FTR_SMT)) {
 		if (!smt_enabled_at_boot && cpu_thread_in_core(nr) != 0)
 			return 0;
 		if (smt_enabled_at_boot