diff --git a/fs/eventpoll.c b/fs/eventpoll.c
index ff12f7a..57298d0 100644
--- a/fs/eventpoll.c
+++ b/fs/eventpoll.c
@@ -316,6 +316,19 @@
 }
 
 /**
+ * ep_events_available - Checks if ready events might be available.
+ *
+ * @ep: Pointer to the eventpoll context.
+ *
+ * Returns: Returns a value different than zero if ready events are available,
+ *          or zero otherwise.
+ */
+static inline int ep_events_available(struct eventpoll *ep)
+{
+	return !list_empty(&ep->rdllist) || ep->ovflist != EP_UNACTIVE_PTR;
+}
+
+/**
  * ep_call_nested - Perform a bound (possibly) nested call, by checking
  *                  that the recursion limit is not exceeded, and that
  *                  the same nested call (by the meaning of same cookie) is
@@ -1158,7 +1171,7 @@
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&ep->lock, flags);
 
 	res = 0;
-	if (list_empty(&ep->rdllist)) {
+	if (!ep_events_available(ep)) {
 		/*
 		 * We don't have any available event to return to the caller.
 		 * We need to sleep here, and we will be wake up by
@@ -1174,7 +1187,7 @@
 			 * to TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE before doing the checks.
 			 */
 			set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
-			if (!list_empty(&ep->rdllist) || timed_out)
+			if (ep_events_available(ep) || timed_out)
 				break;
 			if (signal_pending(current)) {
 				res = -EINTR;
@@ -1192,7 +1205,7 @@
 		set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
 	}
 	/* Is it worth to try to dig for events ? */
-	eavail = !list_empty(&ep->rdllist) || ep->ovflist != EP_UNACTIVE_PTR;
+	eavail = ep_events_available(ep);
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ep->lock, flags);