diff --git a/kernel/sched_rt.c b/kernel/sched_rt.c
index f8fb3edadcaa..d047f288c411 100644
--- a/kernel/sched_rt.c
+++ b/kernel/sched_rt.c
@@ -1218,6 +1218,18 @@ static int pull_rt_task(struct rq *this_rq)
 			continue;
 
 		src_rq = cpu_rq(cpu);
+
+		/*
+		 * Don't bother taking the src_rq->lock if the next highest
+		 * task is known to be lower-priority than our current task.
+		 * This may look racy, but if this value is about to go
+		 * logically higher, the src_rq will push this task away.
+		 * And if its going logically lower, we do not care
+		 */
+		if (src_rq->rt.highest_prio.next >=
+		    this_rq->rt.highest_prio.curr)
+			continue;
+
 		/*
 		 * We can potentially drop this_rq's lock in
 		 * double_lock_balance, and another CPU could