diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c
index 951cec231e7f..babb1e5a4dfa 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c
@@ -10770,9 +10770,13 @@ u64 __always_inline vmx_spec_ctrl_restore_host(struct vcpu_vmx *vmx)
 	guestval = __rdmsr(MSR_IA32_SPEC_CTRL);
 
 	/*
-	 * If the guest/host SPEC_CTRL values differ, restore the host value.
+	 *
+	 * For legacy IBRS, the IBRS bit always needs to be written after
+	 * transitioning from a less privileged predictor mode, regardless of
+	 * whether the guest/host values differ.
 	 */
-	if (guestval != hostval)
+	if (cpu_feature_enabled(X86_FEATURE_KERNEL_IBRS) ||
+	    guestval != hostval)
 		native_wrmsrl(MSR_IA32_SPEC_CTRL, hostval);
 
 	barrier_nospec();