diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
index 02c91528127a..2324b7055260 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/core.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
@@ -8725,7 +8725,7 @@ void __init init_idle(struct task_struct *idle, int cpu)
 	 * PF_KTHREAD should already be set at this point; regardless, make it
 	 * look like a proper per-CPU kthread.
 	 */
-	idle->flags |= PF_KTHREAD | PF_NO_SETAFFINITY;
+	idle->flags |= PF_IDLE | PF_KTHREAD | PF_NO_SETAFFINITY;
 	kthread_set_per_cpu(idle, cpu);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
diff --git a/kernel/sched/idle.c b/kernel/sched/idle.c
index 6b8d2169d9ea..499a3e286cd0 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/idle.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/idle.c
@@ -397,7 +397,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(play_idle_precise);
 
 void cpu_startup_entry(enum cpuhp_state state)
 {
-	current->flags |= PF_IDLE;
 	arch_cpu_idle_prepare();
 	cpuhp_online_idle(state);
 	while (1)