diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
index 7551b6f9c31c..0333dbb8ec85 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_host.h
@@ -1151,7 +1151,18 @@ struct kvm_arch {
 	struct hlist_head mmu_page_hash[KVM_NUM_MMU_PAGES];
 	struct list_head active_mmu_pages;
 	struct list_head zapped_obsolete_pages;
-	struct list_head lpage_disallowed_mmu_pages;
+	/*
+	 * A list of kvm_mmu_page structs that, if zapped, could possibly be
+	 * replaced by an NX huge page.  A shadow page is on this list if its
+	 * existence disallows an NX huge page (nx_huge_page_disallowed is set)
+	 * and there are no other conditions that prevent a huge page, e.g.
+	 * the backing host page is huge, dirtly logging is not enabled for its
+	 * memslot, etc...  Note, zapping shadow pages on this list doesn't
+	 * guarantee an NX huge page will be created in its stead, e.g. if the
+	 * guest attempts to execute from the region then KVM obviously can't
+	 * create an NX huge page (without hanging the guest).
+	 */
+	struct list_head possible_nx_huge_pages;
 	struct kvm_page_track_notifier_node mmu_sp_tracker;
 	struct kvm_page_track_notifier_head track_notifier_head;
 	/*
@@ -1267,7 +1278,7 @@ struct kvm_arch {
 	bool sgx_provisioning_allowed;
 
 	struct kvm_pmu_event_filter __rcu *pmu_event_filter;
-	struct task_struct *nx_lpage_recovery_thread;
+	struct task_struct *nx_huge_page_recovery_thread;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_X86_64
 	/*
@@ -1312,8 +1323,8 @@ struct kvm_arch {
 	 *  - tdp_mmu_roots (above)
 	 *  - tdp_mmu_pages (above)
 	 *  - the link field of kvm_mmu_page structs used by the TDP MMU
-	 *  - lpage_disallowed_mmu_pages
-	 *  - the lpage_disallowed_link field of kvm_mmu_page structs used
+	 *  - possible_nx_huge_pages;
+	 *  - the possible_nx_huge_page_link field of kvm_mmu_page structs used
 	 *    by the TDP MMU
 	 * It is acceptable, but not necessary, to acquire this lock when
 	 * the thread holds the MMU lock in write mode.
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
index f1e089dfdd22..5dd98cdc5283 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu.c
@@ -802,10 +802,10 @@ static void account_shadowed(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp)
 		kvm_flush_remote_tlbs_with_address(kvm, gfn, 1);
 }
 
-void account_huge_nx_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp,
+void account_nx_huge_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp,
 			  bool nx_huge_page_possible)
 {
-	sp->lpage_disallowed = true;
+	sp->nx_huge_page_disallowed = true;
 
 	/*
 	 * If it's possible to replace the shadow page with an NX huge page,
@@ -815,12 +815,13 @@ void account_huge_nx_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp,
 	 * on the list if KVM is reusing an existing shadow page, i.e. if KVM
 	 * links a shadow page at multiple points.
 	 */
-	if (!nx_huge_page_possible || !list_empty(&sp->lpage_disallowed_link))
+	if (!nx_huge_page_possible ||
+	    !list_empty(&sp->possible_nx_huge_page_link))
 		return;
 
 	++kvm->stat.nx_lpage_splits;
-	list_add_tail(&sp->lpage_disallowed_link,
-		      &kvm->arch.lpage_disallowed_mmu_pages);
+	list_add_tail(&sp->possible_nx_huge_page_link,
+		      &kvm->arch.possible_nx_huge_pages);
 }
 
 static void unaccount_shadowed(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp)
@@ -840,15 +841,15 @@ static void unaccount_shadowed(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp)
 	kvm_mmu_gfn_allow_lpage(slot, gfn);
 }
 
-void unaccount_huge_nx_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp)
+void unaccount_nx_huge_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp)
 {
-	sp->lpage_disallowed = false;
+	sp->nx_huge_page_disallowed = false;
 
-	if (list_empty(&sp->lpage_disallowed_link))
+	if (list_empty(&sp->possible_nx_huge_page_link))
 		return;
 
 	--kvm->stat.nx_lpage_splits;
-	list_del_init(&sp->lpage_disallowed_link);
+	list_del_init(&sp->possible_nx_huge_page_link);
 }
 
 static struct kvm_memory_slot *
@@ -2143,7 +2144,7 @@ static struct kvm_mmu_page *kvm_mmu_alloc_shadow_page(struct kvm *kvm,
 
 	set_page_private(virt_to_page(sp->spt), (unsigned long)sp);
 
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&sp->lpage_disallowed_link);
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&sp->possible_nx_huge_page_link);
 
 	/*
 	 * active_mmu_pages must be a FIFO list, as kvm_zap_obsolete_pages()
@@ -2502,8 +2503,8 @@ static bool __kvm_mmu_prepare_zap_page(struct kvm *kvm,
 		zapped_root = !is_obsolete_sp(kvm, sp);
 	}
 
-	if (sp->lpage_disallowed)
-		unaccount_huge_nx_page(kvm, sp);
+	if (sp->nx_huge_page_disallowed)
+		unaccount_nx_huge_page(kvm, sp);
 
 	sp->role.invalid = 1;
 
@@ -3143,7 +3144,7 @@ static int __direct_map(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_page_fault *fault)
 
 		link_shadow_page(vcpu, it.sptep, sp);
 		if (fault->is_tdp && fault->huge_page_disallowed)
-			account_huge_nx_page(vcpu->kvm, sp,
+			account_nx_huge_page(vcpu->kvm, sp,
 					     fault->req_level >= it.level);
 	}
 
@@ -5987,7 +5988,7 @@ int kvm_mmu_init_vm(struct kvm *kvm)
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&kvm->arch.active_mmu_pages);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&kvm->arch.zapped_obsolete_pages);
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&kvm->arch.lpage_disallowed_mmu_pages);
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&kvm->arch.possible_nx_huge_pages);
 	spin_lock_init(&kvm->arch.mmu_unsync_pages_lock);
 
 	r = kvm_mmu_init_tdp_mmu(kvm);
@@ -6672,7 +6673,7 @@ static int set_nx_huge_pages(const char *val, const struct kernel_param *kp)
 			kvm_mmu_zap_all_fast(kvm);
 			mutex_unlock(&kvm->slots_lock);
 
-			wake_up_process(kvm->arch.nx_lpage_recovery_thread);
+			wake_up_process(kvm->arch.nx_huge_page_recovery_thread);
 		}
 		mutex_unlock(&kvm_lock);
 	}
@@ -6804,7 +6805,7 @@ static int set_nx_huge_pages_recovery_param(const char *val, const struct kernel
 		mutex_lock(&kvm_lock);
 
 		list_for_each_entry(kvm, &vm_list, vm_list)
-			wake_up_process(kvm->arch.nx_lpage_recovery_thread);
+			wake_up_process(kvm->arch.nx_huge_page_recovery_thread);
 
 		mutex_unlock(&kvm_lock);
 	}
@@ -6812,7 +6813,7 @@ static int set_nx_huge_pages_recovery_param(const char *val, const struct kernel
 	return err;
 }
 
-static void kvm_recover_nx_lpages(struct kvm *kvm)
+static void kvm_recover_nx_huge_pages(struct kvm *kvm)
 {
 	unsigned long nx_lpage_splits = kvm->stat.nx_lpage_splits;
 	int rcu_idx;
@@ -6835,23 +6836,25 @@ static void kvm_recover_nx_lpages(struct kvm *kvm)
 	ratio = READ_ONCE(nx_huge_pages_recovery_ratio);
 	to_zap = ratio ? DIV_ROUND_UP(nx_lpage_splits, ratio) : 0;
 	for ( ; to_zap; --to_zap) {
-		if (list_empty(&kvm->arch.lpage_disallowed_mmu_pages))
+		if (list_empty(&kvm->arch.possible_nx_huge_pages))
 			break;
 
 		/*
 		 * We use a separate list instead of just using active_mmu_pages
-		 * because the number of lpage_disallowed pages is expected to
-		 * be relatively small compared to the total.
+		 * because the number of shadow pages that be replaced with an
+		 * NX huge page is expected to be relatively small compared to
+		 * the total number of shadow pages.  And because the TDP MMU
+		 * doesn't use active_mmu_pages.
 		 */
-		sp = list_first_entry(&kvm->arch.lpage_disallowed_mmu_pages,
+		sp = list_first_entry(&kvm->arch.possible_nx_huge_pages,
 				      struct kvm_mmu_page,
-				      lpage_disallowed_link);
-		WARN_ON_ONCE(!sp->lpage_disallowed);
+				      possible_nx_huge_page_link);
+		WARN_ON_ONCE(!sp->nx_huge_page_disallowed);
 		if (is_tdp_mmu_page(sp)) {
 			flush |= kvm_tdp_mmu_zap_sp(kvm, sp);
 		} else {
 			kvm_mmu_prepare_zap_page(kvm, sp, &invalid_list);
-			WARN_ON_ONCE(sp->lpage_disallowed);
+			WARN_ON_ONCE(sp->nx_huge_page_disallowed);
 		}
 
 		if (need_resched() || rwlock_needbreak(&kvm->mmu_lock)) {
@@ -6872,7 +6875,7 @@ static void kvm_recover_nx_lpages(struct kvm *kvm)
 	srcu_read_unlock(&kvm->srcu, rcu_idx);
 }
 
-static long get_nx_lpage_recovery_timeout(u64 start_time)
+static long get_nx_huge_page_recovery_timeout(u64 start_time)
 {
 	bool enabled;
 	uint period;
@@ -6883,19 +6886,19 @@ static long get_nx_lpage_recovery_timeout(u64 start_time)
 		       : MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT;
 }
 
-static int kvm_nx_lpage_recovery_worker(struct kvm *kvm, uintptr_t data)
+static int kvm_nx_huge_page_recovery_worker(struct kvm *kvm, uintptr_t data)
 {
 	u64 start_time;
 	long remaining_time;
 
 	while (true) {
 		start_time = get_jiffies_64();
-		remaining_time = get_nx_lpage_recovery_timeout(start_time);
+		remaining_time = get_nx_huge_page_recovery_timeout(start_time);
 
 		set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
 		while (!kthread_should_stop() && remaining_time > 0) {
 			schedule_timeout(remaining_time);
-			remaining_time = get_nx_lpage_recovery_timeout(start_time);
+			remaining_time = get_nx_huge_page_recovery_timeout(start_time);
 			set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
 		}
 
@@ -6904,7 +6907,7 @@ static int kvm_nx_lpage_recovery_worker(struct kvm *kvm, uintptr_t data)
 		if (kthread_should_stop())
 			return 0;
 
-		kvm_recover_nx_lpages(kvm);
+		kvm_recover_nx_huge_pages(kvm);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -6912,17 +6915,17 @@ int kvm_mmu_post_init_vm(struct kvm *kvm)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	err = kvm_vm_create_worker_thread(kvm, kvm_nx_lpage_recovery_worker, 0,
+	err = kvm_vm_create_worker_thread(kvm, kvm_nx_huge_page_recovery_worker, 0,
 					  "kvm-nx-lpage-recovery",
-					  &kvm->arch.nx_lpage_recovery_thread);
+					  &kvm->arch.nx_huge_page_recovery_thread);
 	if (!err)
-		kthread_unpark(kvm->arch.nx_lpage_recovery_thread);
+		kthread_unpark(kvm->arch.nx_huge_page_recovery_thread);
 
 	return err;
 }
 
 void kvm_mmu_pre_destroy_vm(struct kvm *kvm)
 {
-	if (kvm->arch.nx_lpage_recovery_thread)
-		kthread_stop(kvm->arch.nx_lpage_recovery_thread);
+	if (kvm->arch.nx_huge_page_recovery_thread)
+		kthread_stop(kvm->arch.nx_huge_page_recovery_thread);
 }
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu_internal.h b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu_internal.h
index cca1ad75d096..67879459a25c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu_internal.h
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/mmu_internal.h
@@ -57,7 +57,13 @@ struct kvm_mmu_page {
 	bool tdp_mmu_page;
 	bool unsync;
 	u8 mmu_valid_gen;
-	bool lpage_disallowed; /* Can't be replaced by an equiv large page */
+
+	 /*
+	  * The shadow page can't be replaced by an equivalent huge page
+	  * because it is being used to map an executable page in the guest
+	  * and the NX huge page mitigation is enabled.
+	  */
+	bool nx_huge_page_disallowed;
 
 	/*
 	 * The following two entries are used to key the shadow page in the
@@ -102,12 +108,12 @@ struct kvm_mmu_page {
 
 	/*
 	 * Tracks shadow pages that, if zapped, would allow KVM to create an NX
-	 * huge page.  A shadow page will have lpage_disallowed set but not be
-	 * on the list if a huge page is disallowed for other reasons, e.g.
-	 * because KVM is shadowing a PTE at the same gfn, the memslot isn't
-	 * properly aligned, etc...
+	 * huge page.  A shadow page will have nx_huge_page_disallowed set but
+	 * not be on the list if a huge page is disallowed for other reasons,
+	 * e.g. because KVM is shadowing a PTE at the same gfn, the memslot
+	 * isn't properly aligned, etc...
 	 */
-	struct list_head lpage_disallowed_link;
+	struct list_head possible_nx_huge_page_link;
 #ifdef CONFIG_X86_32
 	/*
 	 * Used out of the mmu-lock to avoid reading spte values while an
@@ -322,8 +328,8 @@ void disallowed_hugepage_adjust(struct kvm_page_fault *fault, u64 spte, int cur_
 
 void *mmu_memory_cache_alloc(struct kvm_mmu_memory_cache *mc);
 
-void account_huge_nx_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp,
+void account_nx_huge_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp,
 			  bool nx_huge_page_possible);
-void unaccount_huge_nx_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp);
+void unaccount_nx_huge_page(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp);
 
 #endif /* __KVM_X86_MMU_INTERNAL_H */
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/paging_tmpl.h b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/paging_tmpl.h
index 8fd0c4e1e575..0f6455072055 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/paging_tmpl.h
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/paging_tmpl.h
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ static int FNAME(fetch)(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, struct kvm_page_fault *fault,
 
 		link_shadow_page(vcpu, it.sptep, sp);
 		if (fault->huge_page_disallowed)
-			account_huge_nx_page(vcpu->kvm, sp,
+			account_nx_huge_page(vcpu->kvm, sp,
 					     fault->req_level >= it.level);
 	}
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
index 80a4a1a09131..73eb28ed1f03 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/mmu/tdp_mmu.c
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ static struct kvm_mmu_page *tdp_mmu_alloc_sp(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 static void tdp_mmu_init_sp(struct kvm_mmu_page *sp, tdp_ptep_t sptep,
 			    gfn_t gfn, union kvm_mmu_page_role role)
 {
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&sp->lpage_disallowed_link);
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&sp->possible_nx_huge_page_link);
 
 	set_page_private(virt_to_page(sp->spt), (unsigned long)sp);
 
@@ -403,8 +403,8 @@ static void tdp_mmu_unlink_sp(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_mmu_page *sp,
 		lockdep_assert_held_write(&kvm->mmu_lock);
 
 	list_del(&sp->link);
-	if (sp->lpage_disallowed)
-		unaccount_huge_nx_page(kvm, sp);
+	if (sp->nx_huge_page_disallowed)
+		unaccount_nx_huge_page(kvm, sp);
 
 	if (shared)
 		spin_unlock(&kvm->arch.tdp_mmu_pages_lock);
@@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ static int tdp_mmu_link_sp(struct kvm *kvm, struct tdp_iter *iter,
 	spin_lock(&kvm->arch.tdp_mmu_pages_lock);
 	list_add(&sp->link, &kvm->arch.tdp_mmu_pages);
 	if (account_nx)
-		account_huge_nx_page(kvm, sp, true);
+		account_nx_huge_page(kvm, sp, true);
 	spin_unlock(&kvm->arch.tdp_mmu_pages_lock);
 	tdp_account_mmu_page(kvm, sp);
 
