diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
index 8b080804bc90..62c81d6ae8ee 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/arm.c
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ static int kvm_vcpu_suspend(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 static int check_vcpu_requests(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
 	if (kvm_request_pending(vcpu)) {
-		if (kvm_check_request(KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD, vcpu))
+		if (kvm_test_request(KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD, vcpu))
 			return -EIO;
 
 		if (kvm_check_request(KVM_REQ_SLEEP, vcpu))
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
index 064ecc33b926..8e62476e477b 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
@@ -5058,7 +5058,7 @@ static int kvm_tdp_page_prefault(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, gpa_t gpa,
 		if (signal_pending(current))
 			return -EINTR;
 
-		if (kvm_check_request(KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD, vcpu))
+		if (kvm_test_request(KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD, vcpu))
 			return -EIO;
 
 		cond_resched();
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/tdx.c b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/tdx.c
index b272c20586a7..6c842e9191a5 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/tdx.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx/tdx.c
@@ -1995,7 +1995,7 @@ static int tdx_handle_ept_violation(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 		if (kvm_vcpu_has_events(vcpu) || signal_pending(current))
 			break;
 
-		if (kvm_check_request(KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD, vcpu)) {
+		if (kvm_test_request(KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD, vcpu)) {
 			ret = -EIO;
 			break;
 		}
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/x86.c b/arch/x86/kvm/x86.c
index 79468ddfe473..a137dc6dd8c6 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/x86.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/x86.c
@@ -8060,7 +8060,7 @@ static int vcpu_enter_guest(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 	bool req_immediate_exit = false;
 
 	if (kvm_request_pending(vcpu)) {
-		if (kvm_check_request(KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD, vcpu)) {
+		if (kvm_test_request(KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD, vcpu)) {
 			r = -EIO;
 			goto out;
 		}
diff --git a/include/linux/kvm_host.h b/include/linux/kvm_host.h
index 03bfc92864b6..cf7fe835c4ad 100644
--- a/include/linux/kvm_host.h
+++ b/include/linux/kvm_host.h
@@ -2324,13 +2324,18 @@ static inline bool kvm_test_request(int req, struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 	return test_bit(req & KVM_REQUEST_MASK, (void *)&vcpu->requests);
 }
 
-static inline void kvm_clear_request(int req, struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
+static __always_inline void kvm_clear_request(int req, struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
+	BUILD_BUG_ON(req == KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD);
+
 	clear_bit(req & KVM_REQUEST_MASK, (void *)&vcpu->requests);
 }
 
-static inline bool kvm_check_request(int req, struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
+static __always_inline bool kvm_check_request(int req, struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
+	/* Once a VM is dead, it needs to stay dead. */
+	BUILD_BUG_ON(req == KVM_REQ_VM_DEAD);
+
 	if (kvm_test_request(req, vcpu)) {
 		kvm_clear_request(req, vcpu);