diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
index a2023922eb97..20553b627020 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -4393,8 +4393,6 @@
 
 			Selecting 'on' will also enable the mitigation
 			against user space to user space task attacks.
-			Selecting specific mitigation does not force enable
-			user mitigations.
 
 			Selecting 'off' will disable both the kernel and
 			the user space protections.
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
index 08a75173a80d..29c5cf061883 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
@@ -1050,13 +1050,9 @@ static __ro_after_init enum spectre_v2_mitigation_cmd spectre_v2_cmd;
 static enum spectre_v2_user_cmd __init
 spectre_v2_parse_user_cmdline(void)
 {
-	enum spectre_v2_user_cmd mode;
 	char arg[20];
 	int ret, i;
 
-	mode = IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_MITIGATION_SPECTRE_V2) ?
-		SPECTRE_V2_USER_CMD_AUTO : SPECTRE_V2_USER_CMD_NONE;
-
 	switch (spectre_v2_cmd) {
 	case SPECTRE_V2_CMD_NONE:
 		return SPECTRE_V2_USER_CMD_NONE;
@@ -1069,7 +1065,7 @@ spectre_v2_parse_user_cmdline(void)
 	ret = cmdline_find_option(boot_command_line, "spectre_v2_user",
 				  arg, sizeof(arg));
 	if (ret < 0)
-		return mode;
+		return SPECTRE_V2_USER_CMD_AUTO;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(v2_user_options); i++) {
 		if (match_option(arg, ret, v2_user_options[i].option)) {
@@ -1079,8 +1075,8 @@ spectre_v2_parse_user_cmdline(void)
 		}
 	}
 
-	pr_err("Unknown user space protection option (%s). Switching to default\n", arg);
-	return mode;
+	pr_err("Unknown user space protection option (%s). Switching to AUTO select\n", arg);
+	return SPECTRE_V2_USER_CMD_AUTO;
 }
 
 static inline bool spectre_v2_in_eibrs_mode(enum spectre_v2_mitigation mode)