diff --git a/kernel/rcutree.c b/kernel/rcutree.c
index 7c51508..4ce3adc 100644
--- a/kernel/rcutree.c
+++ b/kernel/rcutree.c
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@
 static int qlowmark = 100;	/* Once only this many pending, use blimit. */
 
 static void force_quiescent_state(struct rcu_state *rsp, int relaxed);
+static int rcu_pending(int cpu);
 
 /*
  * Return the number of RCU-sched batches processed thus far for debug & stats.
@@ -974,6 +975,8 @@
  */
 void rcu_check_callbacks(int cpu, int user)
 {
+	if (!rcu_pending(cpu))
+		return; /* if nothing for RCU to do. */
 	if (user ||
 	    (idle_cpu(cpu) && rcu_scheduler_active &&
 	     !in_softirq() && hardirq_count() <= (1 << HARDIRQ_SHIFT))) {
@@ -1329,7 +1332,7 @@
  * by the current CPU, returning 1 if so.  This function is part of the
  * RCU implementation; it is -not- an exported member of the RCU API.
  */
-int rcu_pending(int cpu)
+static int rcu_pending(int cpu)
 {
 	return __rcu_pending(&rcu_sched_state, &per_cpu(rcu_sched_data, cpu)) ||
 	       __rcu_pending(&rcu_bh_state, &per_cpu(rcu_bh_data, cpu));