diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
index 44c78af98af4..d3706de91a93 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
@@ -205,7 +205,11 @@
 typedef u8 retpoline_thunk_t[RETPOLINE_THUNK_SIZE];
 extern retpoline_thunk_t __x86_indirect_thunk_array[];
 
+#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);
@@ -218,11 +222,7 @@ 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 5c11f688a101..69f85e274611 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/alternative.c
@@ -537,10 +537,6 @@ 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 208e4938f35b..13dffc43ded0 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ 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)
 {