diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/fpsimd.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/fpsimd.c
index 4aa579ff3125..8c226d79abdf 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/fpsimd.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/fpsimd.c
@@ -1133,9 +1133,6 @@ void sve_kernel_enable(const struct arm64_cpu_capabilities *__always_unused p)
  */
 u64 read_zcr_features(void)
 {
-	u64 zcr;
-	unsigned int vq_max;
-
 	/*
 	 * Set the maximum possible VL, and write zeroes to all other
 	 * bits to see if they stick.
@@ -1143,12 +1140,8 @@ u64 read_zcr_features(void)
 	sve_kernel_enable(NULL);
 	write_sysreg_s(ZCR_ELx_LEN_MASK, SYS_ZCR_EL1);
 
-	zcr = read_sysreg_s(SYS_ZCR_EL1);
-	zcr &= ~(u64)ZCR_ELx_LEN_MASK; /* find sticky 1s outside LEN field */
-	vq_max = sve_vq_from_vl(sve_get_vl());
-	zcr |= vq_max - 1; /* set LEN field to maximum effective value */
-
-	return zcr;
+	/* Return LEN value that would be written to get the maximum VL */
+	return sve_vq_from_vl(sve_get_vl()) - 1;
 }
 
 void __init sve_setup(void)
@@ -1292,9 +1285,6 @@ void fa64_kernel_enable(const struct arm64_cpu_capabilities *__always_unused p)
  */
 u64 read_smcr_features(void)
 {
-	u64 smcr;
-	unsigned int vq_max;
-
 	sme_kernel_enable(NULL);
 
 	/*
@@ -1303,12 +1293,8 @@ u64 read_smcr_features(void)
 	write_sysreg_s(read_sysreg_s(SYS_SMCR_EL1) | SMCR_ELx_LEN_MASK,
 		       SYS_SMCR_EL1);
 
-	smcr = read_sysreg_s(SYS_SMCR_EL1);
-	smcr &= ~(u64)SMCR_ELx_LEN_MASK; /* Only the LEN field */
-	vq_max = sve_vq_from_vl(sme_get_vl());
-	smcr |= vq_max - 1; /* set LEN field to maximum effective value */
-
-	return smcr;
+	/* Return LEN value that would be written to get the maximum VL */
+	return sve_vq_from_vl(sme_get_vl()) - 1;
 }
 
 void __init sme_setup(void)