diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c
index 669445136144..7f754b3bc6dd 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/nested.c
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ static void vmx_switch_vmcs(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct loaded_vmcs *vmcs)
 	cpu = get_cpu();
 	prev = vmx->loaded_vmcs;
 	vmx->loaded_vmcs = vmcs;
-	vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(vcpu, cpu);
+	vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(vcpu, cpu, prev);
 	vmx_sync_vmcs_host_state(vmx, prev);
 	put_cpu();
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c
index fbede089d0f7..db842ce74e5d 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.c
@@ -1311,10 +1311,12 @@ static void vmx_vcpu_pi_load(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu)
 		pi_set_on(pi_desc);
 }
 
-void vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu)
+void vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu,
+			struct loaded_vmcs *buddy)
 {
 	struct vcpu_vmx *vmx = to_vmx(vcpu);
 	bool already_loaded = vmx->loaded_vmcs->cpu == cpu;
+	struct vmcs *prev;
 
 	if (!already_loaded) {
 		loaded_vmcs_clear(vmx->loaded_vmcs);
@@ -1333,10 +1335,18 @@ void vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu)
 		local_irq_enable();
 	}
 
-	if (per_cpu(current_vmcs, cpu) != vmx->loaded_vmcs->vmcs) {
+	prev = per_cpu(current_vmcs, cpu);
+	if (prev != vmx->loaded_vmcs->vmcs) {
 		per_cpu(current_vmcs, cpu) = vmx->loaded_vmcs->vmcs;
 		vmcs_load(vmx->loaded_vmcs->vmcs);
-		indirect_branch_prediction_barrier();
+
+		/*
+		 * No indirect branch prediction barrier needed when switching
+		 * the active VMCS within a guest, e.g. on nested VM-Enter.
+		 * The L1 VMM can protect itself with retpolines, IBPB or IBRS.
+		 */
+		if (!buddy || WARN_ON_ONCE(buddy->vmcs != prev))
+			indirect_branch_prediction_barrier();
 	}
 
 	if (!already_loaded) {
@@ -1377,7 +1387,7 @@ void vmx_vcpu_load(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu)
 {
 	struct vcpu_vmx *vmx = to_vmx(vcpu);
 
-	vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(vcpu, cpu);
+	vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(vcpu, cpu, NULL);
 
 	vmx_vcpu_pi_load(vcpu, cpu);
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.h b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.h
index b5e773267abe..d3d48acc6bd9 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.h
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/vmx.h
@@ -320,7 +320,8 @@ struct kvm_vmx {
 };
 
 bool nested_vmx_allowed(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
-void vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu);
+void vmx_vcpu_load_vmcs(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu,
+			struct loaded_vmcs *buddy);
 void vmx_vcpu_load(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, int cpu);
 int allocate_vpid(void);
 void free_vpid(int vpid);