diff --git a/kernel/rcu/tree.c b/kernel/rcu/tree.c
index 39e14cf6a9c0..e4d6d0b1b853 100644
--- a/kernel/rcu/tree.c
+++ b/kernel/rcu/tree.c
@@ -4075,7 +4075,9 @@ void rcu_cpu_starting(unsigned int cpu)
 	rcu_gpnum_ovf(rnp, rdp); /* Offline-induced counter wrap? */
 	rdp->rcu_onl_gp_seq = READ_ONCE(rcu_state.gp_seq);
 	rdp->rcu_onl_gp_flags = READ_ONCE(rcu_state.gp_flags);
-	if (rnp->qsmask & mask) { /* RCU waiting on incoming CPU? */
+
+	/* An incoming CPU should never be blocking a grace period. */
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(rnp->qsmask & mask)) { /* RCU waiting on incoming CPU? */
 		rcu_disable_urgency_upon_qs(rdp);
 		/* Report QS -after- changing ->qsmaskinitnext! */
 		rcu_report_qs_rnp(mask, rnp, rnp->gp_seq, flags);