return timecounter->cc->read(timecounter->cc);
 }
 
-static bool timer_is_armed(struct arch_timer_cpu *timer)
+static void soft_timer_start(struct hrtimer *hrt, u64 ns)
 {
-       return timer->armed;
-}
-
-/* timer_arm: as in "arm the timer", not as in ARM the company */
-static void timer_arm(struct arch_timer_cpu *timer, u64 ns)
-{
-       timer->armed = true;
-       hrtimer_start(&timer->timer, ktime_add_ns(ktime_get(), ns),
+       hrtimer_start(hrt, ktime_add_ns(ktime_get(), ns),
                      HRTIMER_MODE_ABS);
 }
 
-static void timer_disarm(struct arch_timer_cpu *timer)
+static void soft_timer_cancel(struct hrtimer *hrt, struct work_struct *work)
 {
-       if (timer_is_armed(timer)) {
-               hrtimer_cancel(&timer->timer);
-               cancel_work_sync(&timer->expired);
-               timer->armed = false;
-       }
+       hrtimer_cancel(hrt);
+       cancel_work_sync(work);
 }
 
 static irqreturn_t kvm_arch_timer_handler(int irq, void *dev_id)
                return;
 
        /*  The timer has not yet expired, schedule a background timer */
-       timer_arm(timer, kvm_timer_compute_delta(timer_ctx));
+       soft_timer_start(&timer->timer, kvm_timer_compute_delta(timer_ctx));
 }
 
 /*
        struct arch_timer_context *vtimer = vcpu_vtimer(vcpu);
        struct arch_timer_context *ptimer = vcpu_ptimer(vcpu);
 
-       BUG_ON(timer_is_armed(timer));
-
        /*
         * No need to schedule a background timer if any guest timer has
         * already expired, because kvm_vcpu_block will return before putting
         * The guest timers have not yet expired, schedule a background timer.
         * Set the earliest expiration time among the guest timers.
         */
-       timer_arm(timer, kvm_timer_earliest_exp(vcpu));
+       soft_timer_start(&timer->timer, kvm_timer_earliest_exp(vcpu));
 }
 
 void kvm_timer_unschedule(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
        struct arch_timer_cpu *timer = &vcpu->arch.timer_cpu;
-       timer_disarm(timer);
+
+       soft_timer_cancel(&timer->timer, &timer->expired);
 }
 
 static void kvm_timer_flush_hwstate_vgic(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
         * This is to cancel the background timer for the physical timer
         * emulation if it is set.
         */
-       timer_disarm(timer);
+       soft_timer_cancel(&timer->timer, &timer->expired);
 
        /*
         * The guest could have modified the timer registers or the timer
        struct arch_timer_cpu *timer = &vcpu->arch.timer_cpu;
        struct arch_timer_context *vtimer = vcpu_vtimer(vcpu);
 
-       timer_disarm(timer);
+       soft_timer_cancel(&timer->timer, &timer->expired);
        kvm_vgic_unmap_phys_irq(vcpu, vtimer->irq.irq);
 }