diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/smp.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/smp.c
index 8d245ff059c9..8e3a5da24d59 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/smp.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/smp.c
@@ -1274,6 +1274,7 @@ static bool shared_caches;
 void start_secondary(void *unused)
 {
 	unsigned int cpu = smp_processor_id();
+	struct cpumask *(*sibling_mask)(int) = cpu_sibling_mask;
 
 	mmgrab(&init_mm);
 	current->active_mm = &init_mm;
@@ -1299,11 +1300,13 @@ void start_secondary(void *unused)
 	/* Update topology CPU masks */
 	add_cpu_to_masks(cpu);
 
+	if (has_big_cores)
+		sibling_mask = cpu_smallcore_mask;
 	/*
 	 * Check for any shared caches. Note that this must be done on a
 	 * per-core basis because one core in the pair might be disabled.
 	 */
-	if (!cpumask_equal(cpu_l2_cache_mask(cpu), cpu_sibling_mask(cpu)))
+	if (!cpumask_equal(cpu_l2_cache_mask(cpu), sibling_mask(cpu)))
 		shared_caches = true;
 
 	set_numa_node(numa_cpu_lookup_table[cpu]);
@@ -1370,6 +1373,13 @@ static const struct cpumask *shared_cache_mask(int cpu)
 	return cpu_l2_cache_mask(cpu);
 }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SCHED_SMT
+static const struct cpumask *smallcore_smt_mask(int cpu)
+{
+	return cpu_smallcore_mask(cpu);
+}
+#endif
+
 static struct sched_domain_topology_level power9_topology[] = {
 #ifdef CONFIG_SCHED_SMT
 	{ cpu_smt_mask, powerpc_smt_flags, SD_INIT_NAME(SMT) },
@@ -1397,6 +1407,13 @@ void __init smp_cpus_done(unsigned int max_cpus)
 	shared_proc_topology_init();
 	dump_numa_cpu_topology();
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SCHED_SMT
+	if (has_big_cores) {
+		pr_info("Using small cores at SMT level\n");
+		power9_topology[0].mask = smallcore_smt_mask;
+		powerpc_topology[0].mask = smallcore_smt_mask;
+	}
+#endif
 	/*
 	 * If any CPU detects that it's sharing a cache with another CPU then
 	 * use the deeper topology that is aware of this sharing.