diff --git a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
index d4f8c2ec720c..9cc3a3cf5c96 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
+++ b/arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h
@@ -344,6 +344,15 @@ struct kvm_vcpu_arch {
 	/* State flags for kernel bookkeeping, unused by the hypervisor code */
 	u8 sflags;
 
+	/*
+	 * Don't run the guest (internal implementation need).
+	 *
+	 * Contrary to the flags above, this is set/cleared outside of
+	 * a vcpu context, and thus cannot be mixed with the flags
+	 * themselves (or the flag accesses need to be made atomic).
+	 */
+	bool pause;
+
 	/*
 	 * We maintain more than a single set of debug registers to support
 	 * debugging the guest from the host and to maintain separate host and
@@ -392,9 +401,6 @@ struct kvm_vcpu_arch {
 	/* vcpu power state */
 	struct kvm_mp_state mp_state;
 
-	/* Don't run the guest (internal implementation need) */
-	bool pause;
-
 	/* Cache some mmu pages needed inside spinlock regions */
 	struct kvm_mmu_memory_cache mmu_page_cache;