diff --git a/kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c b/kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c
index d0e163a02099..0dd7d853ed17 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c
@@ -616,19 +616,11 @@ static int validate_change(struct cpuset *cur, struct cpuset *trial)
 	struct cpuset *c, *par;
 	int ret;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
-
-	/* Each of our child cpusets must be a subset of us */
-	ret = -EBUSY;
-	cpuset_for_each_child(c, css, cur)
-		if (!is_cpuset_subset(c, trial))
-			goto out;
-
-	/* Remaining checks don't apply to root cpuset */
-	ret = 0;
+	/* The checks don't apply to root cpuset */
 	if (cur == &top_cpuset)
-		goto out;
+		return 0;
 
+	rcu_read_lock();
 	par = parent_cs(cur);
 
 	/* On legacy hierarchy, we must be a subset of our parent cpuset. */