diff --git a/sys/arm64/arm64/swtch.S b/sys/arm64/arm64/swtch.S
index fbffaed437a6..bc2e52103416 100644
--- a/sys/arm64/arm64/swtch.S
+++ b/sys/arm64/arm64/swtch.S
@@ -160,17 +160,18 @@ ENTRY(cpu_switch)
 	dsb	sy
 	isb
 
-	/* Release the old thread */
+	/*
+	 * Release the old thread. This doesn't need to be a store-release
+	 * as the above dsb instruction will provide release semantics.
+	 */
 	str	x2, [x0, #TD_LOCK]
 #if defined(SCHED_ULE) && defined(SMP)
 	/* Read the value in blocked_lock */
 	ldr	x0, =_C_LABEL(blocked_lock)
-	ldr	x1, [x0]
-	/* Load curthread */
-	ldr	x2, [x18, #PC_CURTHREAD]
+	ldr	x2, [x0]
 1:
-	ldr	x3, [x2, #TD_LOCK]
-	cmp	x3, x1
+	ldar	x3, [x1, #TD_LOCK]
+	cmp	x3, x2
 	b.eq	1b
 #endif