diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/msr.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/msr.h
index 084ef95274cd..95203d40ffdd 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/msr.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/msr.h
@@ -169,7 +169,14 @@ static inline int wrmsr_safe(unsigned msr, unsigned low, unsigned high)
 	return native_write_msr_safe(msr, low, high);
 }
 
-/* rdmsr with exception handling */
+/*
+ * rdmsr with exception handling.
+ *
+ * Please note that the exception handling works only after we've
+ * switched to the "smart" #GP handler in trap_init() which knows about
+ * exception tables - using this macro earlier than that causes machine
+ * hangs on boxes which do not implement the @msr in the first argument.
+ */
 #define rdmsr_safe(msr, p1, p2)					\
 ({								\
 	int __err;						\