diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 7e11334a119f..a229a56f3a32 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -3443,8 +3443,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(workqueue_congested);
  * Test whether @work is currently pending or running.  There is no
  * synchronization around this function and the test result is
  * unreliable and only useful as advisory hints or for debugging.
- * Especially for reentrant wqs, the pending state might hide the
- * running state.
  *
  * RETURNS:
  * OR'd bitmask of WORK_BUSY_* bits.
@@ -3455,17 +3453,15 @@ unsigned int work_busy(struct work_struct *work)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	unsigned int ret = 0;
 
-	if (!pool)
-		return 0;
-
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&pool->lock, flags);
-
 	if (work_pending(work))
 		ret |= WORK_BUSY_PENDING;
-	if (find_worker_executing_work(pool, work))
-		ret |= WORK_BUSY_RUNNING;
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&pool->lock, flags);
+	if (pool) {
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&pool->lock, flags);
+		if (find_worker_executing_work(pool, work))
+			ret |= WORK_BUSY_RUNNING;
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&pool->lock, flags);
+	}
 
 	return ret;
 }