diff --git a/kernel/time/hrtimer.c b/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
index 9c320ab7a944..697816d0dc26 100644
--- a/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
+++ b/kernel/time/hrtimer.c
@@ -1786,13 +1786,21 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(__hrtimer_get_remaining);
 ktime_t hrtimer_get_next_event(void)
 {
 	struct hrtimer_cpu_base *cpu_base = this_cpu_ptr(&hrtimer_bases);
-	ktime_t expires = KTIME_MAX;
+
+	/*
+	 * When HRES is active cmp_next_hrtimer_event() expects KTIME_MAX.
+	 *
+	 * cpu_base->hres_active is written only by the local CPU in
+	 * hrtimer_switch_to_hres() from hard interrupt context and in
+	 * hrtimers_cpu_starting() during CPU bring-up, and all callers reach
+	 * this with interrupts disabled on the same CPU, so an unlocked read is
+	 * stable without holding the lock.
+	 */
+	if (hrtimer_hres_active(cpu_base))
+		return KTIME_MAX;
 
 	guard(raw_spinlock_irqsave)(&cpu_base->lock);
-	if (!hrtimer_hres_active(cpu_base))
-		expires = __hrtimer_get_next_event(cpu_base, HRTIMER_ACTIVE_ALL);
-
-	return expires;
+	return __hrtimer_get_next_event(cpu_base, HRTIMER_ACTIVE_ALL);
 }
 
 /**