diff --git a/include/linux/sched.h b/include/linux/sched.h
index 4a28deb5f210..c204613396cd 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched.h
@@ -223,9 +223,6 @@ extern void proc_sched_set_task(struct task_struct *p);
 
 #define TASK_STATE_TO_CHAR_STR "RSDTtXZxKWPNn"
 
-extern char ___assert_task_state[1 - 2*!!(
-		sizeof(TASK_STATE_TO_CHAR_STR)-1 != ilog2(TASK_STATE_MAX)+1)];
-
 /* Convenience macros for the sake of set_current_state */
 #define TASK_KILLABLE		(TASK_WAKEKILL | TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE)
 #define TASK_STOPPED		(TASK_WAKEKILL | __TASK_STOPPED)
diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
index bbfb917a9b49..7d76ccb79e91 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/core.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
@@ -5233,6 +5233,9 @@ void sched_show_task(struct task_struct *p)
 	int ppid;
 	unsigned long state = p->state;
 
+	/* Make sure the string lines up properly with the number of task states: */
+	BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(TASK_STATE_TO_CHAR_STR)-1 != ilog2(TASK_STATE_MAX)+1);
+
 	if (!try_get_task_stack(p))
 		return;
 	if (state)