diff --git a/libs/libc/wqueue/work_queue.c b/libs/libc/wqueue/work_queue.c
index f3d94cb8949..c80e02e677e 100644
--- a/libs/libc/wqueue/work_queue.c
+++ b/libs/libc/wqueue/work_queue.c
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ static int work_qqueue(FAR struct usr_wqueue_s *wqueue,
                        FAR void *arg, clock_t delay)
 {
   FAR struct work_s *curr;
+  FAR struct work_s *head;
   int semcount;
 
   /* Get exclusive access to the work queue */
@@ -101,6 +102,8 @@ static int work_qqueue(FAR struct usr_wqueue_s *wqueue,
 
   /* Insert the work into the wait queue sorted by the expired time. */
 
+  head = list_first_entry(&wqueue->q, struct work_s, node);
+
   list_for_every_entry(&wqueue->q, curr, struct work_s, node)
     {
       if (!clock_compare(curr->qtime, work->qtime))
@@ -122,7 +125,7 @@ static int work_qqueue(FAR struct usr_wqueue_s *wqueue,
    * We should wake up the worker thread.
    */
 
-  if (list_is_head(&wqueue->q, &work->node))
+  if (curr == head)
     {
       nxsem_get_value(&wqueue->wake, &semcount);
       if (semcount < 1)
diff --git a/sched/wdog/wd_start.c b/sched/wdog/wd_start.c
index c03c7b06fe1..3d84dd2d3ed 100644
--- a/sched/wdog/wd_start.c
+++ b/sched/wdog/wd_start.c
@@ -226,18 +226,21 @@ static inline_function void wd_expiration(clock_t ticks)
  *   wdog and wdentry is not NULL.
  *
  * Returned Value:
- *   None.
+ *   Whether the head of the watchdog list has changed.
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
 static inline_function
-void wd_insert(FAR struct wdog_s *wdog, clock_t expired,
+bool wd_insert(FAR struct wdog_s *wdog, clock_t expired,
                wdentry_t wdentry, wdparm_t arg)
 {
   FAR struct wdog_s *curr;
+  FAR struct wdog_s *head;
 
   /* Traverse the watchdog list */
 
+  head = list_first_entry(&g_wdactivelist, struct wdog_s, node);
+
   list_for_every_entry(&g_wdactivelist, curr, struct wdog_s, node)
     {
       /* Until curr->expired has not timed out relative to expired */
@@ -261,6 +264,10 @@ void wd_insert(FAR struct wdog_s *wdog, clock_t expired,
   up_getpicbase(&wdog->picbase);
   wdog->arg = arg;
   wdog->expired = expired;
+
+  /* Return whether the head of the watchdog list has changed. */
+
+  return head == curr;
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************
@@ -287,7 +294,7 @@ void wd_insert(FAR struct wdog_s *wdog, clock_t expired,
  *
  * Input Parameters:
  *   wdog     - Watchdog ID
- *   ticks    - Absoulute time in clock ticks
+ *   ticks    - Absolute time in clock ticks
  *   wdentry  - Function to call on timeout
  *   arg      - Parameter to pass to wdentry.
  *
@@ -349,10 +356,9 @@ int wd_start_abstick(FAR struct wdog_s *wdog, clock_t ticks,
       wdog->func = NULL;
     }
 
-  wd_insert(wdog, ticks, wdentry, arg);
+  reassess |= wd_insert(wdog, ticks, wdentry, arg);
 
-  if (!g_wdtimernested &&
-      (reassess || list_is_head(&g_wdactivelist, &wdog->node)))
+  if (!g_wdtimernested && reassess)
     {
       /* Resume the interval timer that will generate the next
        * interval event. If the timer at the head of the list changed,
diff --git a/sched/wqueue/wqueue.h b/sched/wqueue/wqueue.h
index 7628670b037..c6ecb95883f 100644
--- a/sched/wqueue/wqueue.h
+++ b/sched/wqueue/wqueue.h
@@ -168,12 +168,15 @@ static inline_function
 bool work_insert_pending(FAR struct kwork_wqueue_s *wqueue,
                          FAR struct work_s         *work)
 {
-  struct work_s *curr;
+  FAR struct work_s *curr;
+  FAR struct work_s *head;
 
   DEBUGASSERT(wqueue != NULL && work != NULL);
 
   /* Insert the work into the wait queue sorted by the expired time. */
 
+  head = list_first_entry(&wqueue->pending, struct work_s, node);
+
   list_for_every_entry(&wqueue->pending, curr, struct work_s, node)
     {
       if (!clock_compare(curr->qtime, work->qtime))
@@ -191,7 +194,13 @@ bool work_insert_pending(FAR struct kwork_wqueue_s *wqueue,
 
   list_add_before(&curr->node, &work->node);
 
-  return list_is_head(&wqueue->pending, &work->node);
+  /* Return list_is_head(&wqueue->pending, &work->node)
+   * However, there is fast path that we can check if `curr`
+   * is the `head` we cached before, which is cache-friendly and
+   * can reduce one memory access.
+   */
+
+  return curr == head;
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************