diff --git a/kernel/extable.c b/kernel/extable.c
index 5339705b8241..fe35a634bf76 100644
--- a/kernel/extable.c
+++ b/kernel/extable.c
@@ -35,10 +35,16 @@ DEFINE_MUTEX(text_mutex);
 extern struct exception_table_entry __start___ex_table[];
 extern struct exception_table_entry __stop___ex_table[];
 
+/* Cleared by build time tools if the table is already sorted. */
+u32 __initdata main_extable_sort_needed = 1;
+
 /* Sort the kernel's built-in exception table */
 void __init sort_main_extable(void)
 {
-	sort_extable(__start___ex_table, __stop___ex_table);
+	if (main_extable_sort_needed)
+		sort_extable(__start___ex_table, __stop___ex_table);
+	else
+		pr_notice("__ex_table already sorted, skipping sort\n");
 }
 
 /* Given an address, look for it in the exception tables. */