diff --git a/include/linux/workqueue.h b/include/linux/workqueue.h
index 91d416f9c0a7..56417133c672 100644
--- a/include/linux/workqueue.h
+++ b/include/linux/workqueue.h
@@ -358,8 +358,6 @@ extern struct workqueue_struct *system_freezable_wq;
 extern struct workqueue_struct *system_power_efficient_wq;
 extern struct workqueue_struct *system_freezable_power_efficient_wq;
 
-extern bool wq_online;
-
 extern struct workqueue_struct *
 __alloc_workqueue_key(const char *fmt, unsigned int flags, int max_active,
 	struct lock_class_key *key, const char *lock_name, ...) __printf(1, 6);
@@ -591,14 +589,6 @@ static inline bool schedule_delayed_work(struct delayed_work *dwork,
 	return queue_delayed_work(system_wq, dwork, delay);
 }
 
-/**
- * keventd_up - is workqueue initialized yet?
- */
-static inline bool keventd_up(void)
-{
-	return wq_online;
-}
-
 #ifndef CONFIG_SMP
 static inline long work_on_cpu(int cpu, long (*fn)(void *), void *arg)
 {
diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 15d0811c9e91..ad0cd439223b 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ module_param_named(disable_numa, wq_disable_numa, bool, 0444);
 static bool wq_power_efficient = IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_WQ_POWER_EFFICIENT_DEFAULT);
 module_param_named(power_efficient, wq_power_efficient, bool, 0444);
 
-bool wq_online;				/* can kworkers be created yet? */
+static bool wq_online;			/* can kworkers be created yet? */
 
 static bool wq_numa_enabled;		/* unbound NUMA affinity enabled */