diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/tls.c b/arch/x86/kernel/tls.c
index 6c8934406dc9..dcd699baea1b 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/tls.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/tls.c
@@ -92,10 +92,17 @@ static void set_tls_desc(struct task_struct *p, int idx,
 	cpu = get_cpu();
 
 	while (n-- > 0) {
-		if (LDT_empty(info) || LDT_zero(info))
+		if (LDT_empty(info) || LDT_zero(info)) {
 			desc->a = desc->b = 0;
-		else
+		} else {
 			fill_ldt(desc, info);
+
+			/*
+			 * Always set the accessed bit so that the CPU
+			 * doesn't try to write to the (read-only) GDT.
+			 */
+			desc->type |= 1;
+		}
 		++info;
 		++desc;
 	}