diff --git a/include/linux/interrupt.h b/include/linux/interrupt.h
index 178687d9e289..0cb79f0fec4f 100644
--- a/include/linux/interrupt.h
+++ b/include/linux/interrupt.h
@@ -613,6 +613,7 @@ extern void raise_softirq_irqoff(unsigned int nr);
 extern void raise_softirq(unsigned int nr);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
+DECLARE_PER_CPU(struct task_struct *, timersd);
 extern void raise_timer_softirq(void);
 extern void raise_hrtimer_softirq(void);
 
diff --git a/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c b/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
index 57046b1b0159..8f12719a38ba 100644
--- a/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
+++ b/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
@@ -2410,6 +2410,12 @@ static int rcutorture_booster_init(unsigned int cpu)
 		WARN_ON_ONCE(!t);
 		sp.sched_priority = 2;
 		sched_setscheduler_nocheck(t, SCHED_FIFO, &sp);
+#ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
+		t = per_cpu(timersd, cpu);
+		WARN_ON_ONCE(!t);
+		sp.sched_priority = 2;
+		sched_setscheduler_nocheck(t, SCHED_FIFO, &sp);
+#endif
 	}
 
 	/* Don't allow time recalculation while creating a new task. */
diff --git a/kernel/softirq.c b/kernel/softirq.c
index 307858228485..a9b6f8a65d27 100644
--- a/kernel/softirq.c
+++ b/kernel/softirq.c
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ static inline void tick_irq_exit(void)
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
-static DEFINE_PER_CPU(struct task_struct *, timersd);
+DEFINE_PER_CPU(struct task_struct *, timersd);
 static DEFINE_PER_CPU(unsigned long, pending_timer_softirq);
 
 static unsigned int local_pending_timers(void)