diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/i8253.c b/arch/x86/kernel/i8253.c
index 2b7999a1a50a..80e262bb627f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/i8253.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/i8253.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <linux/timex.h>
 #include <linux/i8253.h>
 
+#include <asm/hypervisor.h>
 #include <asm/apic.h>
 #include <asm/hpet.h>
 #include <asm/time.h>
@@ -39,9 +40,15 @@ static bool __init use_pit(void)
 
 bool __init pit_timer_init(void)
 {
-	if (!use_pit())
+	if (!use_pit()) {
+		/*
+		 * Don't just ignore the PIT. Ensure it's stopped, because
+		 * VMMs otherwise steal CPU time just to pointlessly waggle
+		 * the (masked) IRQ.
+		 */
+		clockevent_i8253_disable();
 		return false;
-
+	}
 	clockevent_i8253_init(true);
 	global_clock_event = &i8253_clockevent;
 	return true;
diff --git a/drivers/clocksource/i8253.c b/drivers/clocksource/i8253.c
index d4350bb10b83..cb215e6f2e83 100644
--- a/drivers/clocksource/i8253.c
+++ b/drivers/clocksource/i8253.c
@@ -108,11 +108,8 @@ int __init clocksource_i8253_init(void)
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_CLKEVT_I8253
-static int pit_shutdown(struct clock_event_device *evt)
+void clockevent_i8253_disable(void)
 {
-	if (!clockevent_state_oneshot(evt) && !clockevent_state_periodic(evt))
-		return 0;
-
 	raw_spin_lock(&i8253_lock);
 
 	outb_p(0x30, PIT_MODE);
@@ -123,6 +120,14 @@ static int pit_shutdown(struct clock_event_device *evt)
 	}
 
 	raw_spin_unlock(&i8253_lock);
+}
+
+static int pit_shutdown(struct clock_event_device *evt)
+{
+	if (!clockevent_state_oneshot(evt) && !clockevent_state_periodic(evt))
+		return 0;
+
+	clockevent_i8253_disable();
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/i8253.h b/include/linux/i8253.h
index 8336b2f6f834..bf169cfef7f1 100644
--- a/include/linux/i8253.h
+++ b/include/linux/i8253.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ extern raw_spinlock_t i8253_lock;
 extern bool i8253_clear_counter_on_shutdown;
 extern struct clock_event_device i8253_clockevent;
 extern void clockevent_i8253_init(bool oneshot);
+extern void clockevent_i8253_disable(void);
 
 extern void setup_pit_timer(void);