diff --git a/arch/i386/kernel/head.S b/arch/i386/kernel/head.S
index eb79aa2fa8bb..a6b8bd89aa27 100644
--- a/arch/i386/kernel/head.S
+++ b/arch/i386/kernel/head.S
@@ -317,20 +317,14 @@ is386:	movl $2,%ecx		# set MP
 	movl %eax,%gs
 	lldt %ax
 	cld			# gcc2 wants the direction flag cleared at all times
+	pushl %eax		# fake return address
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
 	movb ready, %cl
 	movb $1, ready
-	cmpb $0,%cl
-	je 1f			# the first CPU calls start_kernel
-				# all other CPUs call initialize_secondary
-	call initialize_secondary
-	jmp L6
-1:
+	cmpb $0,%cl		# the first CPU calls start_kernel
+	jne initialize_secondary # all other CPUs call initialize_secondary
 #endif /* CONFIG_SMP */
-	call start_kernel
-L6:
-	jmp L6			# main should never return here, but
-				# just in case, we know what happens.
+	jmp start_kernel
 
 /*
  * We depend on ET to be correct. This checks for 287/387.