diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c b/arch/x86/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
index 03aa33b58165..6694c0f8e6c1 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
@@ -491,15 +491,12 @@ static int hw_breakpoint_handler(struct die_args *args)
 	struct perf_event *bp;
 	unsigned long *dr6_p;
 	unsigned long dr6;
+	bool bpx;
 
 	/* The DR6 value is pointed by args->err */
 	dr6_p = (unsigned long *)ERR_PTR(args->err);
 	dr6 = *dr6_p;
 
-	/* If it's a single step, TRAP bits are random */
-	if (dr6 & DR_STEP)
-		return NOTIFY_DONE;
-
 	/* Do an early return if no trap bits are set in DR6 */
 	if ((dr6 & DR_TRAP_BITS) == 0)
 		return NOTIFY_DONE;
@@ -509,28 +506,29 @@ static int hw_breakpoint_handler(struct die_args *args)
 		if (likely(!(dr6 & (DR_TRAP0 << i))))
 			continue;
 
-		/*
-		 * The counter may be concurrently released but that can only
-		 * occur from a call_rcu() path. We can then safely fetch
-		 * the breakpoint, use its callback, touch its counter
-		 * while we are in an rcu_read_lock() path.
-		 */
-		rcu_read_lock();
-
 		bp = this_cpu_read(bp_per_reg[i]);
+		if (!bp)
+			continue;
+
+		bpx = bp->hw.info.type == X86_BREAKPOINT_EXECUTE;
+
+		/*
+		 * TF and data breakpoints are traps and can be merged, however
+		 * instruction breakpoints are faults and will be raised
+		 * separately.
+		 *
+		 * However DR6 can indicate both TF and instruction
+		 * breakpoints. In that case take TF as that has precedence and
+		 * delay the instruction breakpoint for the next exception.
+		 */
+		if (bpx && (dr6 & DR_STEP))
+			continue;
+
 		/*
 		 * Reset the 'i'th TRAP bit in dr6 to denote completion of
 		 * exception handling
 		 */
 		(*dr6_p) &= ~(DR_TRAP0 << i);
-		/*
-		 * bp can be NULL due to lazy debug register switching
-		 * or due to concurrent perf counter removing.
-		 */
-		if (!bp) {
-			rcu_read_unlock();
-			break;
-		}
 
 		perf_bp_event(bp, args->regs);
 
@@ -538,11 +536,10 @@ static int hw_breakpoint_handler(struct die_args *args)
 		 * Set up resume flag to avoid breakpoint recursion when
 		 * returning back to origin.
 		 */
-		if (bp->hw.info.type == X86_BREAKPOINT_EXECUTE)
+		if (bpx)
 			args->regs->flags |= X86_EFLAGS_RF;
-
-		rcu_read_unlock();
 	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Further processing in do_debug() is needed for a) user-space
 	 * breakpoints (to generate signals) and b) when the system has