diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
index 3cc6fb1d2054..84ef83316562 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/core.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
@@ -6217,7 +6217,7 @@ pick_next_task(struct rq *rq, struct rq_flags *rf)
 	unsigned long cookie;
 	int i, cpu, occ = 0;
 	struct rq *rq_i;
-	bool need_sync;
+	bool need_sync = false;
 
 	if (!sched_core_enabled(rq))
 		return __pick_next_task(rq, rf);
@@ -6260,7 +6260,9 @@ pick_next_task(struct rq *rq, struct rq_flags *rf)
 	prev_balance(rq, rf);
 
 	smt_mask = cpu_smt_mask(cpu);
-	need_sync = !!rq->core->core_cookie;
+
+restart:
+	need_sync |= !!rq->core->core_cookie;
 
 	/* reset state */
 	rq->core->core_cookie = 0UL;
@@ -6295,10 +6297,15 @@ pick_next_task(struct rq *rq, struct rq_flags *rf)
 	 * and there are no cookied tasks running on siblings.
 	 */
 	if (!need_sync) {
-restart_single:
 		next = pick_task(rq, rf);
-		if (unlikely(next == RETRY_TASK))
-			goto restart_single;
+		if (unlikely(next == RETRY_TASK)) {
+			/* rq lock may have been dropped, clocks invalidated */
+			core_clock_updated = false;
+			if (!(rq->clock_update_flags & RQCF_UPDATED))
+				update_rq_clock(rq);
+			goto restart;
+		}
+
 		if (!next->core_cookie) {
 			rq->core_pick = NULL;
 			rq->core_dl_server = NULL;
@@ -6318,7 +6325,6 @@ pick_next_task(struct rq *rq, struct rq_flags *rf)
 	 *
 	 * Tie-break prio towards the current CPU
 	 */
-restart_multi:
 	max = NULL;
 	for_each_cpu_wrap(i, smt_mask, cpu) {
 		rq_i = cpu_rq(i);
@@ -6332,8 +6338,13 @@ pick_next_task(struct rq *rq, struct rq_flags *rf)
 			update_rq_clock(rq_i);
 
 		p = pick_task(rq_i, rf);
-		if (unlikely(p == RETRY_TASK))
-			goto restart_multi;
+		if (unlikely(p == RETRY_TASK)) {
+			/* rq lock may have been dropped, clocks invalidated */
+			core_clock_updated = false;
+			if (!(rq->clock_update_flags & RQCF_UPDATED))
+				update_rq_clock(rq);
+			goto restart;
+		}
 
 		rq_i->core_pick = p;
 		rq_i->core_dl_server = rq_i->dl_server;