diff --git a/mm/vmscan.c b/mm/vmscan.c
index 9588973849d0..a8347b677e74 100644
--- a/mm/vmscan.c
+++ b/mm/vmscan.c
@@ -909,7 +909,8 @@ int isolate_lru_page(struct page *page)
  * of reclaimed pages
  */
 static unsigned long shrink_inactive_list(unsigned long max_scan,
-			struct zone *zone, struct scan_control *sc, int file)
+			struct zone *zone, struct scan_control *sc,
+			int priority, int file)
 {
 	LIST_HEAD(page_list);
 	struct pagevec pvec;
@@ -927,8 +928,19 @@ static unsigned long shrink_inactive_list(unsigned long max_scan,
 		unsigned long nr_freed;
 		unsigned long nr_active;
 		unsigned int count[NR_LRU_LISTS] = { 0, };
-		int mode = (sc->order > PAGE_ALLOC_COSTLY_ORDER) ?
-					ISOLATE_BOTH : ISOLATE_INACTIVE;
+		int mode = ISOLATE_INACTIVE;
+
+		/*
+		 * If we need a large contiguous chunk of memory, or have
+		 * trouble getting a small set of contiguous pages, we
+		 * will reclaim both active and inactive pages.
+		 *
+		 * We use the same threshold as pageout congestion_wait below.
+		 */
+		if (sc->order > PAGE_ALLOC_COSTLY_ORDER)
+			mode = ISOLATE_BOTH;
+		else if (sc->order && priority < DEF_PRIORITY - 2)
+			mode = ISOLATE_BOTH;
 
 		nr_taken = sc->isolate_pages(sc->swap_cluster_max,
 			     &page_list, &nr_scan, sc->order, mode,
@@ -1172,7 +1184,7 @@ static unsigned long shrink_list(enum lru_list lru, unsigned long nr_to_scan,
 		shrink_active_list(nr_to_scan, zone, sc, priority, file);
 		return 0;
 	}
-	return shrink_inactive_list(nr_to_scan, zone, sc, file);
+	return shrink_inactive_list(nr_to_scan, zone, sc, priority, file);
 }
 
 /*