diff --git a/kernel/cpu.c b/kernel/cpu.c
index 91d5c38eb7e5b..34e40ef2f6e0d 100644
--- a/kernel/cpu.c
+++ b/kernel/cpu.c
@@ -313,6 +313,15 @@ void cpus_write_unlock(void)
 
 void lockdep_assert_cpus_held(void)
 {
+	/*
+	 * We can't have hotplug operations before userspace starts running,
+	 * and some init codepaths will knowingly not take the hotplug lock.
+	 * This is all valid, so mute lockdep until it makes sense to report
+	 * unheld locks.
+	 */
+	if (system_state < SYSTEM_RUNNING)
+		return;
+
 	percpu_rwsem_assert_held(&cpu_hotplug_lock);
 }