diff --git a/kernel/cpu.c b/kernel/cpu.c
index c0d859c68168c..df8f137f02716 100644
--- a/kernel/cpu.c
+++ b/kernel/cpu.c
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ static int cpuhp_kick_ap(int cpu, struct cpuhp_cpu_state *st,
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static int bringup_wait_for_ap(unsigned int cpu)
+static int bringup_wait_for_ap_online(unsigned int cpu)
 {
 	struct cpuhp_cpu_state *st = per_cpu_ptr(&cpuhp_state, cpu);
 
@@ -579,15 +579,12 @@ static int bringup_wait_for_ap(unsigned int cpu)
 	 */
 	if (!cpu_smt_allowed(cpu))
 		return -ECANCELED;
-
-	if (st->target <= CPUHP_AP_ONLINE_IDLE)
-		return 0;
-
-	return cpuhp_kick_ap(cpu, st, st->target);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int bringup_cpu(unsigned int cpu)
 {
+	struct cpuhp_cpu_state *st = per_cpu_ptr(&cpuhp_state, cpu);
 	struct task_struct *idle = idle_thread_get(cpu);
 	int ret;
 
@@ -600,16 +597,33 @@ static int bringup_cpu(unsigned int cpu)
 	/*
 	 * Some architectures have to walk the irq descriptors to
 	 * setup the vector space for the cpu which comes online.
-	 * Prevent irq alloc/free across the bringup.
+	 *
+	 * Prevent irq alloc/free across the bringup by acquiring the
+	 * sparse irq lock. Hold it until the upcoming CPU completes the
+	 * startup in cpuhp_online_idle() which allows to avoid
+	 * intermediate synchronization points in the architecture code.
 	 */
 	irq_lock_sparse();
 
 	/* Arch-specific enabling code. */
 	ret = __cpu_up(cpu, idle);
-	irq_unlock_sparse();
 	if (ret)
-		return ret;
-	return bringup_wait_for_ap(cpu);
+		goto out_unlock;
+
+	ret = bringup_wait_for_ap_online(cpu);
+	if (ret)
+		goto out_unlock;
+
+	irq_unlock_sparse();
+
+	if (st->target <= CPUHP_AP_ONLINE_IDLE)
+		return 0;
+
+	return cpuhp_kick_ap(cpu, st, st->target);
+
+out_unlock:
+	irq_unlock_sparse();
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int finish_cpu(unsigned int cpu)