diff --git a/linux-user/elfload.c b/linux-user/elfload.c
index ba5c4c02e5..c7e3f1d47c 100644
--- a/linux-user/elfload.c
+++ b/linux-user/elfload.c
@@ -2096,9 +2096,15 @@ static abi_ulong setup_arg_pages(struct linux_binprm *bprm,
     if (size < STACK_LOWER_LIMIT) {
         size = STACK_LOWER_LIMIT;
     }
-    guard = TARGET_PAGE_SIZE;
-    if (guard < qemu_real_host_page_size()) {
-        guard = qemu_real_host_page_size();
+
+    if (STACK_GROWS_DOWN) {
+        guard = TARGET_PAGE_SIZE;
+        if (guard < qemu_real_host_page_size()) {
+            guard = qemu_real_host_page_size();
+        }
+    } else {
+        /* no guard page for hppa target where stack grows upwards. */
+        guard = 0;
     }
 
     prot = PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE;
@@ -2118,7 +2124,6 @@ static abi_ulong setup_arg_pages(struct linux_binprm *bprm,
         info->stack_limit = error + guard;
         return info->stack_limit + size - sizeof(void *);
     } else {
-        target_mprotect(error + size, guard, PROT_NONE);
         info->stack_limit = error + size;
         return error;
     }