diff --git a/include/linux/rcupdate.h b/include/linux/rcupdate.h
index def6d45ad61c..c63428c1ed8a 100644
--- a/include/linux/rcupdate.h
+++ b/include/linux/rcupdate.h
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ static inline notrace void rcu_read_unlock_sched_notrace(void)
 #define RCU_INIT_POINTER(p, v) \
 	do { \
 		rcu_dereference_sparse(p, __rcu); \
-		p = RCU_INITIALIZER(v); \
+		WRITE_ONCE(p, RCU_INITIALIZER(v)); \
 	} while (0)
 
 /**