diff --git a/include/linux/hrtimer.h b/include/linux/hrtimer.h
index b5003856fd60..c924bb2498db 100644
--- a/include/linux/hrtimer.h
+++ b/include/linux/hrtimer.h
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@
  *				  soft irq context
  * HRTIMER_MODE_HARD		- Timer callback function will be executed in
  *				  hard irq context even on PREEMPT_RT.
+ * HRTIMER_MODE_LAZY_REARM	- Avoid reprogramming if the timer was the
+ *				  first expiring timer and is moved into the
+ *				  future. Special mode for the HRTICK timer to
+ *				  avoid extensive reprogramming of the hardware,
+ *				  which is expensive in virtual machines. Risks
+ *				  a pointless expiry, but that's better than
+ *				  reprogramming on every context switch,
  */
 enum hrtimer_mode {
 	HRTIMER_MODE_ABS	= 0x00,
@@ -38,6 +45,7 @@ enum hrtimer_mode {
 	HRTIMER_MODE_PINNED	= 0x02,
 	HRTIMER_MODE_SOFT	= 0x04,
 	HRTIMER_MODE_HARD	= 0x08,
+	HRTIMER_MODE_LAZY_REARM	= 0x10,
 
 	HRTIMER_MODE_ABS_PINNED = HRTIMER_MODE_ABS | HRTIMER_MODE_PINNED,
 	HRTIMER_MODE_REL_PINNED = HRTIMER_MODE_REL | HRTIMER_MODE_PINNED,
diff --git a/include/linux/hrtimer_types.h b/include/linux/hrtimer_types.h
index 8fbbb6bdf7a1..64381c64cdbd 100644
--- a/include/linux/hrtimer_types.h
+++ b/include/linux/hrtimer_types.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ enum hrtimer_restart {
  * @is_soft:	Set if hrtimer will be expired in soft interrupt context.
  * @is_hard:	Set if hrtimer will be expired in hard interrupt context
  *		even on RT.
+ * @is_lazy:	Set if the timer is frequently rearmed to avoid updates
+ *		of the clock event device
  *
  * The hrtimer structure must be initialized by hrtimer_setup()
  */
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ struct hrtimer {
 	u8				is_rel;
 	u8				is_soft;
 	u8				is_hard;
+	u8				is_lazy;
 };
 
 #endif /* _LINUX_HRTIMER_TYPES_H */
diff --git a/kernel/time/hrtimer.c b/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
index 67917ce696d4..e54f8b59f6b4 100644
--- a/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
+++ b/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
@@ -1152,7 +1152,7 @@ static void __remove_hrtimer(struct hrtimer *timer,
 	 * an superfluous call to hrtimer_force_reprogram() on the
 	 * remote cpu later on if the same timer gets enqueued again.
 	 */
-	if (reprogram && timer == cpu_base->next_timer)
+	if (reprogram && timer == cpu_base->next_timer && !timer->is_lazy)
 		hrtimer_force_reprogram(cpu_base, 1);
 }
 
@@ -1321,6 +1321,20 @@ static int __hrtimer_start_range_ns(struct hrtimer *timer, ktime_t tim,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Special case for the HRTICK timer. It is frequently rearmed and most
+	 * of the time moves the expiry into the future. That's expensive in
+	 * virtual machines and it's better to take the pointless already armed
+	 * interrupt than reprogramming the hardware on every context switch.
+	 *
+	 * If the new expiry is before the armed time, then reprogramming is
+	 * required.
+	 */
+	if (timer->is_lazy) {
+		if (new_base->cpu_base->expires_next <= hrtimer_get_expires(timer))
+			return 0;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Timer was forced to stay on the current CPU to avoid
 	 * reprogramming on removal and enqueue. Force reprogram the
@@ -1675,6 +1689,7 @@ static void __hrtimer_setup(struct hrtimer *timer,
 	base += hrtimer_clockid_to_base(clock_id);
 	timer->is_soft = softtimer;
 	timer->is_hard = !!(mode & HRTIMER_MODE_HARD);
+	timer->is_lazy = !!(mode & HRTIMER_MODE_LAZY_REARM);
 	timer->base = &cpu_base->clock_base[base];
 	timerqueue_init(&timer->node);