diff --git a/arch/x86/entry/vsyscall/vsyscall_64.c b/arch/x86/entry/vsyscall/vsyscall_64.c
index c9103a6fa06e..6e6c0a740837 100644
--- a/arch/x86/entry/vsyscall/vsyscall_64.c
+++ b/arch/x86/entry/vsyscall/vsyscall_64.c
@@ -124,7 +124,12 @@ bool emulate_vsyscall(unsigned long error_code,
 	if ((error_code & (X86_PF_WRITE | X86_PF_USER)) != X86_PF_USER)
 		return false;
 
-	if (!(error_code & X86_PF_INSTR)) {
+	/*
+	 * Assume that faults at regs->ip are because of an
+	 * instruction fetch. Return early and avoid
+	 * emulation for faults during data accesses:
+	 */
+	if (address != regs->ip) {
 		/* Failed vsyscall read */
 		if (vsyscall_mode == EMULATE)
 			return false;
@@ -136,13 +141,19 @@ bool emulate_vsyscall(unsigned long error_code,
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * X86_PF_INSTR is only set when NX is supported.  When
+	 * available, use it to double-check that the emulation code
+	 * is only being used for instruction fetches:
+	 */
+	if (cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_NX))
+		WARN_ON_ONCE(!(error_code & X86_PF_INSTR));
+
 	/*
 	 * No point in checking CS -- the only way to get here is a user mode
 	 * trap to a high address, which means that we're in 64-bit user code.
 	 */
 
-	WARN_ON_ONCE(address != regs->ip);
-
 	if (vsyscall_mode == NONE) {
 		warn_bad_vsyscall(KERN_INFO, regs,
 				  "vsyscall attempted with vsyscall=none");