diff --git a/tools/objtool/check.c b/tools/objtool/check.c
index e308d1ba664e..e3fc263b1b20 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/check.c
+++ b/tools/objtool/check.c
@@ -3604,6 +3604,18 @@ static int validate_branch(struct objtool_file *file, struct symbol *func,
 				}
 
 				if (!save_insn->visited) {
+					/*
+					 * If the restore hint insn is at the
+					 * beginning of a basic block and was
+					 * branched to from elsewhere, and the
+					 * save insn hasn't been visited yet,
+					 * defer following this branch for now.
+					 * It will be seen later via the
+					 * straight-line path.
+					 */
+					if (!prev_insn)
+						return 0;
+
 					WARN_INSN(insn, "objtool isn't smart enough to handle this CFI save/restore combo");
 					return 1;
 				}