diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel.c
index c25a67a34bd3..0ab48f1cdf84 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel.c
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ enum split_lock_detect_state {
 static enum split_lock_detect_state sld_state __ro_after_init = sld_off;
 static u64 msr_test_ctrl_cache __ro_after_init;
 
+/*
+ * With a name like MSR_TEST_CTL it should go without saying, but don't touch
+ * MSR_TEST_CTL unless the CPU is one of the whitelisted models.  Writing it
+ * on CPUs that do not support SLD can cause fireworks, even when writing '0'.
+ */
+static bool cpu_model_supports_sld __ro_after_init;
+
 /*
  * Processors which have self-snooping capability can handle conflicting
  * memory type across CPUs by snooping its own cache. However, there exists
@@ -1071,7 +1078,8 @@ static void sld_update_msr(bool on)
 
 static void split_lock_init(void)
 {
-	split_lock_verify_msr(sld_state != sld_off);
+	if (cpu_model_supports_sld)
+		split_lock_verify_msr(sld_state != sld_off);
 }
 
 static void split_lock_warn(unsigned long ip)
@@ -1177,5 +1185,6 @@ void __init cpu_set_core_cap_bits(struct cpuinfo_x86 *c)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	cpu_model_supports_sld = true;
 	split_lock_setup();
 }