diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
index bfa7452ca92e..da0bf6fe9ecd 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/core.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
@@ -4798,25 +4798,55 @@ static void do_balance_callbacks(struct rq *rq, struct callback_head *head)
 
 static void balance_push(struct rq *rq);
 
+/*
+ * balance_push_callback is a right abuse of the callback interface and plays
+ * by significantly different rules.
+ *
+ * Where the normal balance_callback's purpose is to be ran in the same context
+ * that queued it (only later, when it's safe to drop rq->lock again),
+ * balance_push_callback is specifically targeted at __schedule().
+ *
+ * This abuse is tolerated because it places all the unlikely/odd cases behind
+ * a single test, namely: rq->balance_callback == NULL.
+ */
 struct callback_head balance_push_callback = {
 	.next = NULL,
 	.func = (void (*)(struct callback_head *))balance_push,
 };
 
-static inline struct callback_head *splice_balance_callbacks(struct rq *rq)
+static inline struct callback_head *
+__splice_balance_callbacks(struct rq *rq, bool split)
 {
 	struct callback_head *head = rq->balance_callback;
 
+	if (likely(!head))
+		return NULL;
+
 	lockdep_assert_rq_held(rq);
-	if (head)
+	/*
+	 * Must not take balance_push_callback off the list when
+	 * splice_balance_callbacks() and balance_callbacks() are not
+	 * in the same rq->lock section.
+	 *
+	 * In that case it would be possible for __schedule() to interleave
+	 * and observe the list empty.
+	 */
+	if (split && head == &balance_push_callback)
+		head = NULL;
+	else
 		rq->balance_callback = NULL;
 
 	return head;
 }
 
+static inline struct callback_head *splice_balance_callbacks(struct rq *rq)
+{
+	return __splice_balance_callbacks(rq, true);
+}
+
 static void __balance_callbacks(struct rq *rq)
 {
-	do_balance_callbacks(rq, splice_balance_callbacks(rq));
+	do_balance_callbacks(rq, __splice_balance_callbacks(rq, false));
 }
 
 static inline void balance_callbacks(struct rq *rq, struct callback_head *head)
diff --git a/kernel/sched/sched.h b/kernel/sched/sched.h
index 01259611beb9..47b89a0fc6e5 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/sched.h
+++ b/kernel/sched/sched.h
@@ -1693,6 +1693,11 @@ queue_balance_callback(struct rq *rq,
 {
 	lockdep_assert_rq_held(rq);
 
+	/*
+	 * Don't (re)queue an already queued item; nor queue anything when
+	 * balance_push() is active, see the comment with
+	 * balance_push_callback.
+	 */
 	if (unlikely(head->next || rq->balance_callback == &balance_push_callback))
 		return;