diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
index 04035edc5c75..44c78af98af4 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/nospec-branch.h
@@ -205,11 +205,7 @@
 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);
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
index 13dffc43ded0..208e4938f35b 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@ 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)
 {