diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
index 319b4249e..7711ba534 100755
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
@@ -190,7 +190,11 @@
 	_ASM_PTR " 999b\n\t"					\
 	".popsection\n\t"
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_RETHUNK
 extern void __x86_return_thunk(void);
+#else
+static inline void __x86_return_thunk(void) {}
+#endif
 
 extern void retbleed_return_thunk(void);
 extern void srso_return_thunk(void);
@@ -203,11 +207,7 @@ extern void srso_alias_untrain_ret(void);
 extern void entry_untrain_ret(void);
 extern void entry_ibpb(void);
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_CALL_THUNKS
 extern void (*x86_return_thunk)(void);
-#else
-#define x86_return_thunk	(&__x86_return_thunk)
-#endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_RETPOLINE
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
index 4afc4911b..98e74a139 100755
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
@@ -677,10 +677,6 @@ void __init_or_module noinline apply_retpolines(s32 *start, s32 *end)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_RETHUNK
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_CALL_THUNKS
-void (*x86_return_thunk)(void) __ro_after_init = &__x86_return_thunk;
-#endif
-
 /*
  * Rewrite the compiler generated return thunk tail-calls.
  *
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
index fc20f24b4..d9fda0b6e 100755
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(x86_pred_cmd);
 
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(spec_ctrl_mutex);
 
+void (*x86_return_thunk)(void) __ro_after_init = &__x86_return_thunk;
+
 /* Update SPEC_CTRL MSR and its cached copy unconditionally */
 static void update_spec_ctrl(u64 val)
 {