diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/microcode.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/microcode.h
index 0ee6ed0ff2bf..695e569159c1 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/microcode.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/microcode.h
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ struct microcode_header_intel {
 	unsigned int	datasize;
 	unsigned int	totalsize;
 	unsigned int	metasize;
-	unsigned int	reserved[2];
+	unsigned int	min_req_ver;
+	unsigned int	reserved;
 };
 
 struct microcode_intel {
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/intel.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/intel.c
index 14aa4c6d4c14..6024feb98d29 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/intel.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/intel.c
@@ -473,16 +473,40 @@ static enum ucode_state apply_microcode_late(int cpu)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static bool ucode_validate_minrev(struct microcode_header_intel *mc_header)
+{
+	int cur_rev = boot_cpu_data.microcode;
+
+	/*
+	 * When late-loading, ensure the header declares a minimum revision
+	 * required to perform a late-load. The previously reserved field
+	 * is 0 in older microcode blobs.
+	 */
+	if (!mc_header->min_req_ver) {
+		pr_info("Unsafe microcode update: Microcode header does not specify a required min version\n");
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Check whether the current revision is either greater or equal to
+	 * to the minimum revision specified in the header.
+	 */
+	if (cur_rev < mc_header->min_req_ver) {
+		pr_info("Unsafe microcode update: Current revision 0x%x too old\n", cur_rev);
+		pr_info("Current should be at 0x%x or higher. Use early loading instead\n", mc_header->min_req_ver);
+		return false;
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
 static enum ucode_state parse_microcode_blobs(int cpu, struct iov_iter *iter)
 {
 	struct ucode_cpu_info *uci = ucode_cpu_info + cpu;
+	bool is_safe, new_is_safe = false;
 	int cur_rev = uci->cpu_sig.rev;
 	unsigned int curr_mc_size = 0;
 	u8 *new_mc = NULL, *mc = NULL;
 
-	if (force_minrev)
-		return UCODE_NFOUND;
-
 	while (iov_iter_count(iter)) {
 		struct microcode_header_intel mc_header;
 		unsigned int mc_size, data_size;
@@ -525,9 +549,14 @@ static enum ucode_state parse_microcode_blobs(int cpu, struct iov_iter *iter)
 		if (!intel_find_matching_signature(mc, &uci->cpu_sig))
 			continue;
 
+		is_safe = ucode_validate_minrev(&mc_header);
+		if (force_minrev && !is_safe)
+			continue;
+
 		kvfree(new_mc);
 		cur_rev = mc_header.rev;
 		new_mc  = mc;
+		new_is_safe = is_safe;
 		mc = NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -539,7 +568,7 @@ static enum ucode_state parse_microcode_blobs(int cpu, struct iov_iter *iter)
 		return UCODE_NFOUND;
 
 	ucode_patch_late = (struct microcode_intel *)new_mc;
-	return UCODE_NEW;
+	return new_is_safe ? UCODE_NEW_SAFE : UCODE_NEW;
 
 fail:
 	kvfree(mc);