diff --git a/arch/riscv/kernel/head.S b/arch/riscv/kernel/head.S
index 2227db63f895..a4242be66966 100644
--- a/arch/riscv/kernel/head.S
+++ b/arch/riscv/kernel/head.S
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ _start_kernel:
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
 	li t0, CONFIG_NR_CPUS
-	bgeu a0, t0, .Lsecondary_park
+	blt a0, t0, .Lgood_cores
+	tail .Lsecondary_park
+.Lgood_cores:
 #endif
 
 	/* Pick one hart to run the main boot sequence */
@@ -209,11 +211,6 @@ relocate:
 	tail smp_callin
 #endif
 
-.align 2
-.Lsecondary_park:
-	/* We lack SMP support or have too many harts, so park this hart */
-	wfi
-	j .Lsecondary_park
 END(_start)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_RISCV_M_MODE
@@ -295,6 +292,13 @@ ENTRY(reset_regs)
 END(reset_regs)
 #endif /* CONFIG_RISCV_M_MODE */
 
+.section ".text", "ax",@progbits
+.align 2
+.Lsecondary_park:
+	/* We lack SMP support or have too many harts, so park this hart */
+	wfi
+	j .Lsecondary_park
+
 __PAGE_ALIGNED_BSS
 	/* Empty zero page */
 	.balign PAGE_SIZE