diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 2f445833ae371a58d35c56907e2eeb638e75a453..a35afdbc016140f27e6101147646b757670e7c34 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -991,8 +991,8 @@ static void do_work_for_cpu(struct work_struct *w)
  * @fn: the function to run
  * @arg: the function arg
  *
- * This will return -EINVAL in the cpu is not online, or the return value
- * of @fn otherwise.
+ * This will return the value @fn returns.
+ * It is up to the caller to ensure that the cpu doesn't go offline.
  */
 long work_on_cpu(unsigned int cpu, long (*fn)(void *), void *arg)
 {
@@ -1001,14 +1001,8 @@ long work_on_cpu(unsigned int cpu, long (*fn)(void *), void *arg)
 	INIT_WORK(&wfc.work, do_work_for_cpu);
 	wfc.fn = fn;
 	wfc.arg = arg;
-	get_online_cpus();
-	if (unlikely(!cpu_online(cpu)))
-		wfc.ret = -EINVAL;
-	else {
-		schedule_work_on(cpu, &wfc.work);
-		flush_work(&wfc.work);
-	}
-	put_online_cpus();
+	schedule_work_on(cpu, &wfc.work);
+	flush_work(&wfc.work);
 
 	return wfc.ret;
 }