diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
index 5cb272a7a5a3..10d5a3d6affc 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
@@ -340,9 +340,12 @@ done:
 static void __init_or_module optimize_nops(struct alt_instr *a, u8 *instr)
 {
 	unsigned long flags;
+	int i;
 
-	if (instr[0] != 0x90)
-		return;
+	for (i = 0; i < a->padlen; i++) {
+		if (instr[i] != 0x90)
+			return;
+	}
 
 	local_irq_save(flags);
 	add_nops(instr + (a->instrlen - a->padlen), a->padlen);