diff --git a/kernel/extable.c b/kernel/extable.c
index 67460b93b1a1..832cb28105bb 100644
--- a/kernel/extable.c
+++ b/kernel/extable.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ u32 __initdata main_extable_sort_needed = 1;
 /* Sort the kernel's built-in exception table */
 void __init sort_main_extable(void)
 {
-	if (main_extable_sort_needed) {
+	if (main_extable_sort_needed && __stop___ex_table > __start___ex_table) {
 		pr_notice("Sorting __ex_table...\n");
 		sort_extable(__start___ex_table, __stop___ex_table);
 	}