diff --git a/mm/page_alloc.c b/mm/page_alloc.c
index c0b2e0306720..ecc3dbad606b 100644
--- a/mm/page_alloc.c
+++ b/mm/page_alloc.c
@@ -4473,12 +4473,14 @@ retry_cpuset:
 		if (page)
 			goto got_pg;
 
-		 if (order >= pageblock_order && (gfp_mask & __GFP_IO)) {
+		 if (order >= pageblock_order && (gfp_mask & __GFP_IO) &&
+		     !(gfp_mask & __GFP_RETRY_MAYFAIL)) {
 			/*
 			 * If allocating entire pageblock(s) and compaction
 			 * failed because all zones are below low watermarks
 			 * or is prohibited because it recently failed at this
-			 * order, fail immediately.
+			 * order, fail immediately unless the allocator has
+			 * requested compaction and reclaim retry.
 			 *
 			 * Reclaim is
 			 *  - potentially very expensive because zones are far