diff --git a/tests/api.c b/tests/api.c
index e87be69c0..f0e92b40b 100644
--- a/tests/api.c
+++ b/tests/api.c
@@ -3045,7 +3045,7 @@ static int test_wolfSSL_CertManagerAPI(void)
     EXPECT_DECLS;
 #ifndef NO_CERTS
     WOLFSSL_CERT_MANAGER* cm = NULL;
-    unsigned char c;
+    unsigned char c = 0;
 
     ExpectNotNull(cm = wolfSSL_CertManagerNew_ex(NULL));
 
diff --git a/wolfcrypt/benchmark/benchmark.c b/wolfcrypt/benchmark/benchmark.c
index 373816ffb..cd6bb125a 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/benchmark/benchmark.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/benchmark/benchmark.c
@@ -620,8 +620,7 @@
 
 /* optional macro to add sleep between tests */
 #ifndef TEST_SLEEP
-    /* stub the sleep macro */
-    #define TEST_SLEEP() WC_DO_NOTHING
+    #define TEST_SLEEP() WC_RELAX_LONG_LOOP()
 #endif
 
 #define TEST_STRING    "Everyone gets Friday off."
@@ -2347,10 +2346,18 @@ static WC_INLINE void bench_stats_start(int* count, double* start)
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_LINUXKM_USE_SAVE_VECTOR_REGISTERS
     #define bench_stats_start(count, start) do {                               \
         SAVE_VECTOR_REGISTERS(pr_err(                                          \
-            "SAVE_VECTOR_REGISTERS failed for benchmark run.");                \
+            "ERROR: SAVE_VECTOR_REGISTERS failed for benchmark run.");         \
                               return; );                                       \
         bench_stats_start(count, start);                                       \
     } while (0)
+#elif defined(WOLFSSL_LINUXKM)
+    /* we're using floating point to figure the statistics, so we need to
+     * FPU save+lock even without SIMD.
+     */
+    #define bench_stats_start(count, start) do {                               \
+        kernel_fpu_begin();                                                    \
+        bench_stats_start(count, start);                                       \
+    } while (0)
 #endif
 
 static WC_INLINE int bench_stats_check(double start)
@@ -2543,8 +2550,6 @@ static void bench_stats_sym_finish(const char* desc, int useDeviceID,
 
     total = current_time(0) - start;
 
-    WC_RELAX_LONG_LOOP();
-
 #if defined(WOLFSSL_ESPIDF) && defined(DEBUG_WOLFSSL_BENCHMARK_TIMING)
     ESP_LOGI(TAG, "%s total_cycles = %llu", desc, total_cycles);
 #endif
@@ -2743,6 +2748,8 @@ static void bench_stats_sym_finish(const char* desc, int useDeviceID,
 
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_LINUXKM_USE_SAVE_VECTOR_REGISTERS
     RESTORE_VECTOR_REGISTERS();
+#elif defined(WOLFSSL_LINUXKM)
+    kernel_fpu_end();
 #endif
 
     TEST_SLEEP();
@@ -2775,8 +2782,6 @@ static void bench_stats_asym_finish_ex(const char* algo, int strength,
 
     total = current_time(0) - start;
 
-    WC_RELAX_LONG_LOOP();
-
 #ifdef LINUX_RUSAGE_UTIME
     check_for_excessive_stime(algo, strength, desc, desc_extra);
 #endif
@@ -3006,6 +3011,8 @@ static void bench_stats_asym_finish_ex(const char* algo, int strength,
 
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_LINUXKM_USE_SAVE_VECTOR_REGISTERS
     RESTORE_VECTOR_REGISTERS();
+#elif defined(WOLFSSL_LINUXKM)
+    kernel_fpu_end();
 #endif
 
     TEST_SLEEP();