diff --git a/kernel/cpu.c b/kernel/cpu.c
index 6754f3e..d1bf6e2 100644
--- a/kernel/cpu.c
+++ b/kernel/cpu.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <linux/notifier.h>
 #include <linux/sched/signal.h>
 #include <linux/sched/hotplug.h>
+#include <linux/sched/isolation.h>
 #include <linux/sched/task.h>
 #include <linux/sched/smt.h>
 #include <linux/unistd.h>
@@ -1199,8 +1200,15 @@ int freeze_secondary_cpus(int primary)
 	int cpu, error = 0;
 
 	cpu_maps_update_begin();
-	if (!cpu_online(primary))
+	if (primary == -1) {
 		primary = cpumask_first(cpu_online_mask);
+		if (!housekeeping_cpu(primary, HK_FLAG_TIMER))
+			primary = housekeeping_any_cpu(HK_FLAG_TIMER);
+	} else {
+		if (!cpu_online(primary))
+			primary = cpumask_first(cpu_online_mask);
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * We take down all of the non-boot CPUs in one shot to avoid races
 	 * with the userspace trying to use the CPU hotplug at the same time