diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
index 98406d6aa2d6..dd06453d5b72 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
@@ -3060,7 +3060,8 @@ static int mmu_set_spte(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_memory_slot *slot,
 			child = spte_to_child_sp(pte);
 			drop_parent_pte(vcpu->kvm, child, sptep);
 			flush = true;
-		} else if (WARN_ON_ONCE(pfn != spte_to_pfn(*sptep))) {
+		} else if (pfn != spte_to_pfn(*sptep)) {
+			WARN_ON_ONCE(vcpu->arch.mmu->root_role.direct);
 			drop_spte(vcpu->kvm, sptep);
 			flush = true;
 		} else