diff --git a/kernel/futex.c b/kernel/futex.c
index 3488fb024a20..f618562b4f5f 100644
--- a/kernel/futex.c
+++ b/kernel/futex.c
@@ -3703,16 +3703,19 @@ void futex_exit_recursive(struct task_struct *tsk)
 
 void futex_exit_release(struct task_struct *tsk)
 {
-	tsk->futex_state = FUTEX_STATE_EXITING;
 	/*
-	 * Ensure that all new tsk->pi_lock acquisitions must observe
-	 * FUTEX_STATE_EXITING. Serializes against attach_to_pi_owner().
-	 */
-	smp_mb();
-	/*
-	 * Ensure that we must observe the pi_state in exit_pi_state_list().
+	 * Switch the state to FUTEX_STATE_EXITING under tsk->pi_lock.
+	 *
+	 * This ensures that all subsequent checks of tsk->futex_state in
+	 * attach_to_pi_owner() must observe FUTEX_STATE_EXITING with
+	 * tsk->pi_lock held.
+	 *
+	 * It guarantees also that a pi_state which was queued right before
+	 * the state change under tsk->pi_lock by a concurrent waiter must
+	 * be observed in exit_pi_state_list().
 	 */
 	raw_spin_lock_irq(&tsk->pi_lock);
+	tsk->futex_state = FUTEX_STATE_EXITING;
 	raw_spin_unlock_irq(&tsk->pi_lock);
 
 	futex_exec_release(tsk);