diff --git a/arch/x86/xen/smp.c b/arch/x86/xen/smp.c
index 041d4fe9dfe4b858773bc30ba1ea05ddab501637..501d4e0244ba229d90eabbe768ae1d25e057574f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/xen/smp.c
+++ b/arch/x86/xen/smp.c
@@ -409,6 +409,13 @@ static void __cpuinit xen_play_dead(void) /* used only with HOTPLUG_CPU */
 	play_dead_common();
 	HYPERVISOR_vcpu_op(VCPUOP_down, smp_processor_id(), NULL);
 	cpu_bringup();
+	/*
+	 * Balance out the preempt calls - as we are running in cpu_idle
+	 * loop which has been called at bootup from cpu_bringup_and_idle.
+	 * The cpucpu_bringup_and_idle called cpu_bringup which made a
+	 * preempt_disable() So this preempt_enable will balance it out.
+	 */
+	preempt_enable();
 }
 
 #else /* !CONFIG_HOTPLUG_CPU */