diff --git a/kernel/watchdog_hld.c b/kernel/watchdog_hld.c
index 1e8a49dc956e..2125b09e09d7 100644
--- a/kernel/watchdog_hld.c
+++ b/kernel/watchdog_hld.c
@@ -165,10 +165,16 @@ static void watchdog_overflow_callback(struct perf_event *event,
 
 static int hardlockup_detector_event_create(void)
 {
-	unsigned int cpu = smp_processor_id();
+	unsigned int cpu;
 	struct perf_event_attr *wd_attr;
 	struct perf_event *evt;
 
+	/*
+	 * Preemption is not disabled because memory will be allocated.
+	 * Ensure CPU-locality by calling this in per-CPU kthread.
+	 */
+	WARN_ON(!is_percpu_thread());
+	cpu = raw_smp_processor_id();
 	wd_attr = &wd_hw_attr;
 	wd_attr->sample_period = hw_nmi_get_sample_period(watchdog_thresh);