diff --git a/include/linux/sched/cputime.h b/include/linux/sched/cputime.h
index 6de7b384d2be..2638fd0ab3f2 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched/cputime.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched/cputime.h
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ extern void cputime_adjust(struct task_cputime *curr, struct prev_cputime *prev,
  * Thread group CPU time accounting.
  */
 void thread_group_cputime(struct task_struct *tsk, struct task_cputime *times);
-void thread_group_cputimer(struct task_struct *tsk, struct task_cputime *times);
 void thread_group_sample_cputime(struct task_struct *tsk, struct task_cputime *times);
 
 /*
diff --git a/kernel/time/posix-cpu-timers.c b/kernel/time/posix-cpu-timers.c
index cb736787145b..def225ae069a 100644
--- a/kernel/time/posix-cpu-timers.c
+++ b/kernel/time/posix-cpu-timers.c
@@ -253,7 +253,20 @@ void thread_group_sample_cputime(struct task_struct *tsk,
 	sample_cputime_atomic(times, &cputimer->cputime_atomic);
 }
 
-void thread_group_cputimer(struct task_struct *tsk, struct task_cputime *times)
+/**
+ * thread_group_start_cputime - Start cputime and return a sample
+ * @tsk:	Task for which cputime needs to be started
+ * @iimes:	Storage for time samples
+ *
+ * The thread group cputime accouting is avoided when there are no posix
+ * CPU timers armed. Before starting a timer it's required to check whether
+ * the time accounting is active. If not, a full update of the atomic
+ * accounting store needs to be done and the accounting enabled.
+ *
+ * Updates @times with an uptodate sample of the thread group cputimes.
+ */
+static void
+thread_group_start_cputime(struct task_struct *tsk, struct task_cputime *times)
 {
 	struct thread_group_cputimer *cputimer = &tsk->signal->cputimer;
 	struct task_cputime sum;
@@ -536,7 +549,7 @@ static int cpu_timer_sample_group(const clockid_t which_clock,
 {
 	struct task_cputime cputime;
 
-	thread_group_cputimer(p, &cputime);
+	thread_group_start_cputime(p, &cputime);
 	switch (CPUCLOCK_WHICH(which_clock)) {
 	default:
 		return -EINVAL;