diff --git a/xen/common/multicall.c b/xen/common/multicall.c
index 5a199ebf8f..67f1a23485 100644
--- a/xen/common/multicall.c
+++ b/xen/common/multicall.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <xen/multicall.h>
 #include <xen/guest_access.h>
 #include <xen/perfc.h>
+#include <xen/preempt.h>
 #include <xen/trace.h>
 #include <asm/current.h>
 #include <asm/hardirq.h>
diff --git a/xen/common/preempt.c b/xen/common/preempt.c
index 3b4178fd44..8a351e644b 100644
--- a/xen/common/preempt.c
+++ b/xen/common/preempt.c
@@ -21,13 +21,15 @@
 
 #include <xen/preempt.h>
 #include <xen/irq.h>
+#include <xen/rcupdate.h>
 #include <asm/system.h>
 
 DEFINE_PER_CPU(unsigned int, __preempt_count);
 
 bool_t in_atomic(void)
 {
-    return preempt_count() || in_irq() || !local_irq_is_enabled();
+    return preempt_count() || in_irq() || !local_irq_is_enabled() ||
+           !rcu_quiesce_allowed();
 }
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
@@ -36,5 +38,6 @@ void ASSERT_NOT_IN_ATOMIC(void)
     ASSERT(!preempt_count());
     ASSERT(!in_irq());
     ASSERT(local_irq_is_enabled());
+    ASSERT(rcu_quiesce_allowed());
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/xen/common/rcupdate.c b/xen/common/rcupdate.c
index 27d597bbeb..d1cc2f0a98 100644
--- a/xen/common/rcupdate.c
+++ b/xen/common/rcupdate.c
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 #include <xen/cpu.h>
 #include <xen/stop_machine.h>
 
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+DEFINE_PER_CPU(unsigned int, rcu_lock_cnt);
+#endif
+
 /* Global control variables for rcupdate callback mechanism. */
 static struct rcu_ctrlblk {
     long cur;           /* Current batch number.                      */
diff --git a/xen/common/softirq.c b/xen/common/softirq.c
index 30beb27ae9..fd90b8511d 100644
--- a/xen/common/softirq.c
+++ b/xen/common/softirq.c
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ static void __do_softirq(unsigned long ignore_mask, bool rcu_allowed)
     unsigned int i, cpu;
     unsigned long pending;
 
+    ASSERT(!rcu_allowed || rcu_quiesce_allowed());
+
     for ( ; ; )
     {
         /*
diff --git a/xen/common/wait.c b/xen/common/wait.c
index 24716e7676..9cdb174036 100644
--- a/xen/common/wait.c
+++ b/xen/common/wait.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
  * along with this program; If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
+#include <xen/preempt.h>
 #include <xen/sched.h>
 #include <xen/softirq.h>
 #include <xen/wait.h>
diff --git a/xen/include/xen/rcupdate.h b/xen/include/xen/rcupdate.h
index 31c8b86d13..9f6d420898 100644
--- a/xen/include/xen/rcupdate.h
+++ b/xen/include/xen/rcupdate.h
@@ -34,10 +34,40 @@
 #include <xen/cache.h>
 #include <xen/spinlock.h>
 #include <xen/cpumask.h>
-#include <xen/preempt.h>
+#include <xen/percpu.h>
+#include <asm/atomic.h>
 
 #define __rcu
 
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+DECLARE_PER_CPU(unsigned int, rcu_lock_cnt);
+
+static inline void rcu_quiesce_disable(void)
+{
+    this_cpu(rcu_lock_cnt)++;
+    arch_lock_acquire_barrier();
+}
+
+static inline void rcu_quiesce_enable(void)
+{
+    arch_lock_release_barrier();
+    this_cpu(rcu_lock_cnt)--;
+}
+
+static inline bool rcu_quiesce_allowed(void)
+{
+    return !this_cpu(rcu_lock_cnt);
+}
+
+#else
+static inline void rcu_quiesce_disable(void) { }
+static inline void rcu_quiesce_enable(void) { }
+static inline bool rcu_quiesce_allowed(void)
+{
+    return true;
+}
+#endif
+
 /**
  * struct rcu_head - callback structure for use with RCU
  * @next: next update requests in a list
@@ -91,16 +121,23 @@ typedef struct _rcu_read_lock rcu_read_lock_t;
  * will be deferred until the outermost RCU read-side critical section
  * completes.
  *
- * It is illegal to block while in an RCU read-side critical section.
+ * It is illegal to process softirqs while in an RCU read-side critical section.
  */
-#define rcu_read_lock(x)       ({ ((void)(x)); preempt_disable(); })
+static inline void rcu_read_lock(rcu_read_lock_t *lock)
+{
+    rcu_quiesce_disable();
+}
 
 /**
  * rcu_read_unlock - marks the end of an RCU read-side critical section.
  *
  * See rcu_read_lock() for more information.
  */
-#define rcu_read_unlock(x)     ({ ((void)(x)); preempt_enable(); })
+static inline void rcu_read_unlock(rcu_read_lock_t *lock)
+{
+    ASSERT(!rcu_quiesce_allowed());
+    rcu_quiesce_enable();
+}
 
 /*
  * So where is rcu_write_lock()?  It does not exist, as there is no
