diff --git a/arch/ia64/kernel/irq_ia64.c b/arch/ia64/kernel/irq_ia64.c
index acc4d19ae62a..b448197728be 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/kernel/irq_ia64.c
+++ b/arch/ia64/kernel/irq_ia64.c
@@ -610,6 +610,9 @@ static struct irqaction ipi_irqaction = {
 	.name =		"IPI"
 };
 
+/*
+ * KVM uses this interrupt to force a cpu out of guest mode
+ */
 static struct irqaction resched_irqaction = {
 	.handler =	dummy_handler,
 	.flags =	IRQF_DISABLED,
diff --git a/arch/ia64/kvm/kvm-ia64.c b/arch/ia64/kvm/kvm-ia64.c
index be4413e1f43f..80c57b0a21c4 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/kvm/kvm-ia64.c
+++ b/arch/ia64/kvm/kvm-ia64.c
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ static int __vcpu_run(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_run *kvm_run)
 	host_ctx = kvm_get_host_context(vcpu);
 	guest_ctx = kvm_get_guest_context(vcpu);
 
-	vcpu->guest_mode = 1;
+	clear_bit(KVM_REQ_KICK, &vcpu->requests);
 
 	r = kvm_vcpu_pre_transition(vcpu);
 	if (r < 0)
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ static int __vcpu_run(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_run *kvm_run)
 	kvm_vcpu_post_transition(vcpu);
 
 	vcpu->arch.launched = 1;
-	vcpu->guest_mode = 0;
+	set_bit(KVM_REQ_KICK, &vcpu->requests);
 	local_irq_enable();
 
 	/*
@@ -1879,24 +1879,18 @@ void kvm_arch_hardware_unsetup(void)
 {
 }
 
-static void vcpu_kick_intr(void *info)
-{
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = (struct kvm_vcpu *)info;
-	printk(KERN_DEBUG"vcpu_kick_intr %p \n", vcpu);
-#endif
-}
-
 void kvm_vcpu_kick(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
-	int ipi_pcpu = vcpu->cpu;
-	int cpu = get_cpu();
+	int me;
+	int cpu = vcpu->cpu;
 
 	if (waitqueue_active(&vcpu->wq))
 		wake_up_interruptible(&vcpu->wq);
 
-	if (vcpu->guest_mode && cpu != ipi_pcpu)
-		smp_call_function_single(ipi_pcpu, vcpu_kick_intr, vcpu, 0);
+	me = get_cpu();
+	if (cpu != me && (unsigned) cpu < nr_cpu_ids && cpu_online(cpu))
+		if (!test_and_set_bit(KVM_REQ_KICK, &vcpu->requests))
+			smp_send_reschedule(cpu);
 	put_cpu();
 }
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/smp.c b/arch/x86/kernel/smp.c
index 13f33ea8ccaa..3b2e55e8ad2b 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/smp.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/smp.c
@@ -172,6 +172,9 @@ void smp_reschedule_interrupt(struct pt_regs *regs)
 {
 	ack_APIC_irq();
 	inc_irq_stat(irq_resched_count);
+	/*
+	 * KVM uses this interrupt to force a cpu out of guest mode
+	 */
 }
 
 void smp_call_function_interrupt(struct pt_regs *regs)
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/x86.c b/arch/x86/kvm/x86.c
index 75927700a26d..3c4c327490af 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/x86.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/x86.c
@@ -3230,6 +3230,9 @@ static int vcpu_enter_guest(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_run *kvm_run)
 
 	local_irq_disable();
 
+	clear_bit(KVM_REQ_KICK, &vcpu->requests);
+	smp_mb__after_clear_bit();
+
 	if (vcpu->requests || need_resched() || signal_pending(current)) {
 		local_irq_enable();
 		preempt_enable();
@@ -3237,13 +3240,6 @@ static int vcpu_enter_guest(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_run *kvm_run)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	vcpu->guest_mode = 1;
-	/*
-	 * Make sure that guest_mode assignment won't happen after
-	 * testing the pending IRQ vector bitmap.
-	 */
-	smp_wmb();
-
 	if (vcpu->arch.exception.pending)
 		__queue_exception(vcpu);
 	else
@@ -3288,7 +3284,7 @@ static int vcpu_enter_guest(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_run *kvm_run)
 	set_debugreg(vcpu->arch.host_dr6, 6);
 	set_debugreg(vcpu->arch.host_dr7, 7);
 
-	vcpu->guest_mode = 0;
+	set_bit(KVM_REQ_KICK, &vcpu->requests);
 	local_irq_enable();
 
 	++vcpu->stat.exits;
@@ -4571,30 +4567,20 @@ int kvm_arch_vcpu_runnable(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 	       || vcpu->arch.nmi_pending;
 }
 
-static void vcpu_kick_intr(void *info)
-{
-#ifdef DEBUG
-	struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = (struct kvm_vcpu *)info;
-	printk(KERN_DEBUG "vcpu_kick_intr %p \n", vcpu);
-#endif
-}
-
 void kvm_vcpu_kick(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
-	int ipi_pcpu = vcpu->cpu;
-	int cpu;
+	int me;
+	int cpu = vcpu->cpu;
 
 	if (waitqueue_active(&vcpu->wq)) {
 		wake_up_interruptible(&vcpu->wq);
 		++vcpu->stat.halt_wakeup;
 	}
-	/*
-	 * We may be called synchronously with irqs disabled in guest mode,
-	 * So need not to call smp_call_function_single() in that case.
-	 */
-	cpu = get_cpu();
-	if (vcpu->guest_mode && vcpu->cpu != cpu)
-		smp_call_function_single(ipi_pcpu, vcpu_kick_intr, vcpu, 0);
+
+	me = get_cpu();
+	if (cpu != me && (unsigned)cpu < nr_cpu_ids && cpu_online(cpu))
+		if (!test_and_set_bit(KVM_REQ_KICK, &vcpu->requests))
+			smp_send_reschedule(cpu);
 	put_cpu();
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/kvm_host.h b/include/linux/kvm_host.h
index bdce8e1303c9..161816284192 100644
--- a/include/linux/kvm_host.h
+++ b/include/linux/kvm_host.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #define KVM_REQ_UNHALT             6
 #define KVM_REQ_MMU_SYNC           7
 #define KVM_REQ_KVMCLOCK_UPDATE    8
+#define KVM_REQ_KICK               9
 
 #define KVM_USERSPACE_IRQ_SOURCE_ID	0
 
@@ -72,7 +73,6 @@ struct kvm_vcpu {
 	struct mutex mutex;
 	int   cpu;
 	struct kvm_run *run;
-	int guest_mode;
 	unsigned long requests;
 	unsigned long guest_debug;
 	int fpu_active;