diff --git a/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c b/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
index afc7f902d74a..578d0e5f1b5b 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/irqdesc.c
@@ -443,6 +443,7 @@ static void free_desc(unsigned int irq)
 	 * We free the descriptor, masks and stat fields via RCU. That
 	 * allows demultiplex interrupts to do rcu based management of
 	 * the child interrupts.
+	 * This also allows us to use rcu in kstat_irqs_usr().
 	 */
 	call_rcu(&desc->rcu, delayed_free_desc);
 }
@@ -928,17 +929,17 @@ unsigned int kstat_irqs(unsigned int irq)
  * kstat_irqs_usr - Get the statistics for an interrupt
  * @irq:	The interrupt number
  *
- * Returns the sum of interrupt counts on all cpus since boot for
- * @irq. Contrary to kstat_irqs() this can be called from any
- * preemptible context. It's protected against concurrent removal of
- * an interrupt descriptor when sparse irqs are enabled.
+ * Returns the sum of interrupt counts on all cpus since boot for @irq.
+ * Contrary to kstat_irqs() this can be called from any context.
+ * It uses rcu since a concurrent removal of an interrupt descriptor is
+ * observing an rcu grace period before delayed_free_desc()/irq_kobj_release().
  */
 unsigned int kstat_irqs_usr(unsigned int irq)
 {
 	unsigned int sum;
 
-	irq_lock_sparse();
+	rcu_read_lock();
 	sum = kstat_irqs(irq);
-	irq_unlock_sparse();
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return sum;
 }