diff --git a/kernel/kexec_internal.h b/kernel/kexec_internal.h
index 2595defe8c0d..d35d9792402d 100644
--- a/kernel/kexec_internal.h
+++ b/kernel/kexec_internal.h
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ int kimage_is_destination_range(struct kimage *image,
 extern atomic_t __kexec_lock;
 static inline bool kexec_trylock(void)
 {
-	return atomic_cmpxchg_acquire(&__kexec_lock, 0, 1) == 0;
+	int old = 0;
+	return atomic_try_cmpxchg_acquire(&__kexec_lock, &old, 1);
 }
 static inline void kexec_unlock(void)
 {