diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext.c b/kernel/sched/ext.c
index f4e2db8e56be..df305712a2d4 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext.c
@@ -6589,7 +6589,7 @@ static struct scx_sched *scx_alloc_and_add_sched(struct sched_ext_ops *ops,
 
 	sch->slice_dfl = SCX_SLICE_DFL;
 	atomic_set(&sch->exit_kind, SCX_EXIT_NONE);
-	init_irq_work(&sch->disable_irq_work, scx_disable_irq_workfn);
+	sch->disable_irq_work = IRQ_WORK_INIT_HARD(scx_disable_irq_workfn);
 	kthread_init_work(&sch->disable_work, scx_disable_workfn);
 	timer_setup(&sch->bypass_lb_timer, scx_bypass_lb_timerfn, 0);