diff --git a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel-SMP/portable/riscv/port.c b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel-SMP/portable/riscv/port.c
index 955587ba42..0baffbcd82 100644
--- a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel-SMP/portable/riscv/port.c
+++ b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel-SMP/portable/riscv/port.c
@@ -90,8 +90,13 @@ void vPortEnterCritical(void)
 
 void vPortExitCritical(void)
 {
+
+    /* Critical section nesting coung must never be negative */
+    configASSERT( port_uxCriticalNestingIDF > 0 );
+
     if (port_uxCriticalNestingIDF > 0) {
         port_uxCriticalNestingIDF--;
+
         if (port_uxCriticalNestingIDF == 0) {
             // Restore the saved interrupt threshold
             vPortClearInterruptMask((int)port_uxCriticalOldInterruptStateIDF);
diff --git a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel-SMP/portable/xtensa/port.c b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel-SMP/portable/xtensa/port.c
index 4cd6918472..d39faf60f0 100644
--- a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel-SMP/portable/xtensa/port.c
+++ b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel-SMP/portable/xtensa/port.c
@@ -145,9 +145,14 @@ void vPortExitCriticalIDF(portMUX_TYPE *lock)
     spinlock_release(lock);
     BaseType_t coreID = xPortGetCoreID();
     BaseType_t nesting = port_uxCriticalNestingIDF[coreID];
+
+    /* Critical section nesting count must never be negative */
+    configASSERT( nesting > 0 );
+
     if (nesting > 0) {
         nesting--;
         port_uxCriticalNestingIDF[coreID] = nesting;
+
         //This is the last exit call, restore the saved interrupt level
         if ( nesting == 0 ) {
             XTOS_RESTORE_JUST_INTLEVEL((int) port_uxCriticalOldInterruptStateIDF[coreID]);
diff --git a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/linux/port.c b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/linux/port.c
index 33253f2240..4e851768c7 100644
--- a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/linux/port.c
+++ b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/linux/port.c
@@ -261,7 +261,13 @@ void vPortEnterCritical( void )
 
 void vPortExitCritical( void )
 {
-    uxCriticalNesting--;
+    if ( uxCriticalNesting > 0 )
+    {
+        uxCriticalNesting--;
+    }
+
+    /* Critical section nesting count must always be >= 0. */
+    configASSERT( uxCriticalNesting >= 0 );
 
     /* If we have reached 0 then re-enable the interrupts. */
     if( uxCriticalNesting == 0 )
diff --git a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/riscv/port.c b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/riscv/port.c
index 29cc3fe096..646fa7686e 100644
--- a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/riscv/port.c
+++ b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/riscv/port.c
@@ -568,9 +568,13 @@ void __attribute__((optimize("-O3"))) vPortExitCriticalMultiCore(portMUX_TYPE *m
     BaseType_t coreID = xPortGetCoreID();
     BaseType_t nesting = port_uxCriticalNesting[coreID];
 
+    /* Critical section nesting count must never be negative */
+    configASSERT( nesting > 0 );
+
     if (nesting > 0) {
         nesting--;
         port_uxCriticalNesting[coreID] = nesting;
+
         //This is the last exit call, restore the saved interrupt level
         if ( nesting == 0 ) {
             portCLEAR_INTERRUPT_MASK_FROM_ISR(port_uxOldInterruptState[coreID]);
@@ -623,8 +627,13 @@ void vPortExitCritical(void)
         esp_rom_printf("vPortExitCritical(void) is not supported on single-core targets. Please use vPortExitCriticalMultiCore(portMUX_TYPE *mux) instead.\n");
         abort();
 #endif /* (configNUM_CORES > 1) */
+
+    /* Critical section nesting count must never be negative */
+    configASSERT( port_uxCriticalNesting[0] > 0 );
+
     if (port_uxCriticalNesting[0] > 0) {
         port_uxCriticalNesting[0]--;
+
         if (port_uxCriticalNesting[0] == 0) {
             portCLEAR_INTERRUPT_MASK_FROM_ISR(port_uxOldInterruptState[0]);
         }
diff --git a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/xtensa/port.c b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/xtensa/port.c
index 9722a2c308..b35b71ac12 100644
--- a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/xtensa/port.c
+++ b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/portable/xtensa/port.c
@@ -497,9 +497,13 @@ void __attribute__((optimize("-O3"))) vPortExitCritical(portMUX_TYPE *mux)
     BaseType_t coreID = xPortGetCoreID();
     BaseType_t nesting = port_uxCriticalNesting[coreID];
 
+    /* Critical section nesting count must never be negative */
+    configASSERT( nesting > 0 );
+
     if (nesting > 0) {
         nesting--;
         port_uxCriticalNesting[coreID] = nesting;
+
         //This is the last exit call, restore the saved interrupt level
         if ( nesting == 0 ) {
             portCLEAR_INTERRUPT_MASK_FROM_ISR(port_uxOldInterruptState[coreID]);
diff --git a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/tasks.c b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/tasks.c
index 2482826674..8d06ea30b0 100644
--- a/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/tasks.c
+++ b/components/freertos/FreeRTOS-Kernel/tasks.c
@@ -3856,7 +3856,7 @@ void vTaskPlaceOnUnorderedEventList( List_t * pxEventList,
             prvAddCurrentTaskToDelayedList( xTicksToWait, xWaitIndefinitely );
         }
         /* Release the previously taken kernel lock. */
-        taskEXIT_CRITICAL( &xKernelLock );
+        prvEXIT_CRITICAL_SMP_ONLY( &xKernelLock );
     }
 
 #endif /* configUSE_TIMERS */