diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/idle.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/idle.c
index d308a9f70f1b..31982d05d81a 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/idle.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/idle.c
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@
 #include <asm/smp.h>
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_HOTPLUG_CPU
-/* this is used for software suspend, and that shuts down
- * CPUs even while the system is still booting... */
-#define cpu_should_die()	(cpu_is_offline(smp_processor_id()) && \
-				   (system_state == SYSTEM_RUNNING     \
-				 || system_state == SYSTEM_BOOTING))
+#define cpu_should_die()	cpu_is_offline(smp_processor_id())
 #else
 #define cpu_should_die()	0
 #endif