diff --git a/lib/kernel_lock.c b/lib/kernel_lock.c
index e713e86..e0fdfdd 100644
--- a/lib/kernel_lock.c
+++ b/lib/kernel_lock.c
@@ -177,7 +177,12 @@
 
 static inline void __unlock_kernel(void)
 {
-	spin_unlock(&kernel_flag);
+	/*
+	 * the BKL is not covered by lockdep, so we open-code the
+	 * unlocking sequence (and thus avoid the dep-chain ops):
+	 */
+	_raw_spin_unlock(&kernel_flag);
+	preempt_enable();
 }
 
 /*