diff --git a/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/list_debug.c b/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/list_debug.c
index 589284496ac5..df718e29f6d4 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/list_debug.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/nvhe/list_debug.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ static inline __must_check bool nvhe_check_data_corruption(bool v)
 
 /* The predicates checked here are taken from lib/list_debug.c. */
 
+__list_valid_slowpath
 bool ___list_add_valid(struct list_head *new, struct list_head *prev,
 		       struct list_head *next)
 {
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ bool ___list_add_valid(struct list_head *new, struct list_head *prev,
 	return true;
 }
 
+__list_valid_slowpath
 bool ___list_del_entry_valid(struct list_head *entry)
 {
 	struct list_head *prev, *next;
diff --git a/include/linux/list.h b/include/linux/list.h
index e0b2cf904409..a28a215a3eb1 100644
--- a/include/linux/list.h
+++ b/include/linux/list.h
@@ -39,20 +39,64 @@ static inline void INIT_LIST_HEAD(struct list_head *list)
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST
-extern bool ___list_add_valid(struct list_head *new,
-			      struct list_head *prev,
-			      struct list_head *next);
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST_MINIMAL
+# define __list_valid_slowpath __cold __preserve_most
+#else
+# define __list_valid_slowpath
+#endif
+
+extern bool __list_valid_slowpath ___list_add_valid(struct list_head *new,
+						    struct list_head *prev,
+						    struct list_head *next);
 static __always_inline bool __list_add_valid(struct list_head *new,
 					     struct list_head *prev,
 					     struct list_head *next)
 {
-	return ___list_add_valid(new, prev, next);
+	bool ret = true;
+
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST_MINIMAL)) {
+		/*
+		 * In the minimal config, elide checking if next and prev are
+		 * NULL, since the immediate dereference of them below would
+		 * result in a fault if NULL.
+		 *
+		 * With the minimal config we can afford to inline the checks,
+		 * which also gives the compiler a chance to elide some of them
+		 * completely if they can be proven at compile-time. If one of
+		 * the pre-conditions does not hold, the slow-path will show a
+		 * report which pre-condition failed.
+		 */
+		if (likely(next->prev == prev && prev->next == next && new != prev && new != next))
+			return true;
+		ret = false;
+	}
+
+	ret &= ___list_add_valid(new, prev, next);
+	return ret;
 }
 
-extern bool ___list_del_entry_valid(struct list_head *entry);
+extern bool __list_valid_slowpath ___list_del_entry_valid(struct list_head *entry);
 static __always_inline bool __list_del_entry_valid(struct list_head *entry)
 {
-	return ___list_del_entry_valid(entry);
+	bool ret = true;
+
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST_MINIMAL)) {
+		struct list_head *prev = entry->prev;
+		struct list_head *next = entry->next;
+
+		/*
+		 * In the minimal config, elide checking if next and prev are
+		 * NULL, LIST_POISON1 or LIST_POISON2, since the immediate
+		 * dereference of them below would result in a fault.
+		 */
+		if (likely(prev->next == entry && next->prev == entry))
+			return true;
+		ret = false;
+	}
+
+	ret &= ___list_del_entry_valid(entry);
+	return ret;
 }
 #else
 static inline bool __list_add_valid(struct list_head *new,
diff --git a/lib/Kconfig.debug b/lib/Kconfig.debug
index fbc89baf7de6..e72cf08af0fa 100644
--- a/lib/Kconfig.debug
+++ b/lib/Kconfig.debug
@@ -1680,6 +1680,21 @@ config DEBUG_LIST
 
 	  If unsure, say N.
 
+config DEBUG_LIST_MINIMAL
+	bool "Minimal linked list debug checks"
+	default !DEBUG_KERNEL
+	depends on DEBUG_LIST
+	help
+	  Only perform the minimal set of checks in the linked-list walking
+	  routines to catch corruptions that are not guaranteed to result in an
+	  immediate access fault.
+
+	  This trades lower quality error reports for improved performance: the
+	  generated code should be more optimal and provide trade-offs that may
+	  better serve safety- and performance- critical environments.
+
+	  If unsure, say Y.
+
 config DEBUG_PLIST
 	bool "Debug priority linked list manipulation"
 	depends on DEBUG_KERNEL
diff --git a/lib/list_debug.c b/lib/list_debug.c
index fd69009cc696..daad32855f0d 100644
--- a/lib/list_debug.c
+++ b/lib/list_debug.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  * attempt).
  */
 
+__list_valid_slowpath
 bool ___list_add_valid(struct list_head *new, struct list_head *prev,
 		       struct list_head *next)
 {
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ bool ___list_add_valid(struct list_head *new, struct list_head *prev,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(___list_add_valid);
 
+__list_valid_slowpath
 bool ___list_del_entry_valid(struct list_head *entry)
 {
 	struct list_head *prev, *next;
