diff --git a/kernel/cpu.c b/kernel/cpu.c
index e6f0101941ed..2c44dd12a158 100644
--- a/kernel/cpu.c
+++ b/kernel/cpu.c
@@ -2788,7 +2788,8 @@ enum cpu_mitigations {
 };
 
 static enum cpu_mitigations cpu_mitigations __ro_after_init =
-	CPU_MITIGATIONS_AUTO;
+	IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SPECULATION_MITIGATIONS) ? CPU_MITIGATIONS_AUTO :
+						     CPU_MITIGATIONS_OFF;
 
 static int __init mitigations_parse_cmdline(char *arg)
 {