diff --git a/drivers/android/binder_alloc.c b/drivers/android/binder_alloc.c
index 8dc677f58ebb..f47d9a20707b 100644
--- a/drivers/android/binder_alloc.c
+++ b/drivers/android/binder_alloc.c
@@ -310,18 +310,17 @@ err_no_vma:
 	return vma ? -ENOMEM : -ESRCH;
 }
 
-static inline void binder_alloc_set_vma(struct binder_alloc *alloc,
-		struct vm_area_struct *vma)
-{
-	/* pairs with smp_load_acquire in binder_alloc_get_vma() */
-	smp_store_release(&alloc->vma, vma);
-}
-
 static inline struct vm_area_struct *binder_alloc_get_vma(
 		struct binder_alloc *alloc)
 {
-	/* pairs with smp_store_release in binder_alloc_set_vma() */
-	return smp_load_acquire(&alloc->vma);
+	struct vm_area_struct *vma = NULL;
+
+	if (alloc->vma) {
+		/* Look at description in binder_alloc_set_vma */
+		smp_rmb();
+		vma = alloc->vma;
+	}
+	return vma;
 }
 
 static bool debug_low_async_space_locked(struct binder_alloc *alloc, int pid)
@@ -384,7 +383,6 @@ static struct binder_buffer *binder_alloc_new_buf_locked(
 	size_t size, data_offsets_size;
 	int ret;
 
-	/* Check binder_alloc is fully initialized */
 	if (!binder_alloc_get_vma(alloc)) {
 		binder_alloc_debug(BINDER_DEBUG_USER_ERROR,
 				   "%d: binder_alloc_buf, no vma\n",
@@ -781,9 +779,7 @@ int binder_alloc_mmap_handler(struct binder_alloc *alloc,
 	buffer->free = 1;
 	binder_insert_free_buffer(alloc, buffer);
 	alloc->free_async_space = alloc->buffer_size / 2;
-
-	/* Signal binder_alloc is fully initialized */
-	binder_alloc_set_vma(alloc, vma);
+	alloc->vma = vma;
 
 	return 0;
 
@@ -965,7 +961,7 @@ int binder_alloc_get_allocated_count(struct binder_alloc *alloc)
  */
 void binder_alloc_vma_close(struct binder_alloc *alloc)
 {
-	binder_alloc_set_vma(alloc, NULL);
+	alloc->vma = 0;
 }
 
 /**