diff --git a/block/blk-core.c b/block/blk-core.c
index 41bc0ff75e28..02f53bc00e4c 100644
--- a/block/blk-core.c
+++ b/block/blk-core.c
@@ -333,24 +333,6 @@ void blk_unplug(struct request_queue *q)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(blk_unplug);
 
-static void blk_invoke_request_fn(struct request_queue *q)
-{
-	if (unlikely(blk_queue_stopped(q)))
-		return;
-
-	/*
-	 * one level of recursion is ok and is much faster than kicking
-	 * the unplug handling
-	 */
-	if (!queue_flag_test_and_set(QUEUE_FLAG_REENTER, q)) {
-		q->request_fn(q);
-		queue_flag_clear(QUEUE_FLAG_REENTER, q);
-	} else {
-		queue_flag_set(QUEUE_FLAG_PLUGGED, q);
-		kblockd_schedule_work(q, &q->unplug_work);
-	}
-}
-
 /**
  * blk_start_queue - restart a previously stopped queue
  * @q:    The &struct request_queue in question
@@ -365,7 +347,7 @@ void blk_start_queue(struct request_queue *q)
 	WARN_ON(!irqs_disabled());
 
 	queue_flag_clear(QUEUE_FLAG_STOPPED, q);
-	blk_invoke_request_fn(q);
+	__blk_run_queue(q);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(blk_start_queue);
 
@@ -425,12 +407,23 @@ void __blk_run_queue(struct request_queue *q)
 {
 	blk_remove_plug(q);
 
+	if (unlikely(blk_queue_stopped(q)))
+		return;
+
+	if (elv_queue_empty(q))
+		return;
+
 	/*
 	 * Only recurse once to avoid overrunning the stack, let the unplug
 	 * handling reinvoke the handler shortly if we already got there.
 	 */
-	if (!elv_queue_empty(q))
-		blk_invoke_request_fn(q);
+	if (!queue_flag_test_and_set(QUEUE_FLAG_REENTER, q)) {
+		q->request_fn(q);
+		queue_flag_clear(QUEUE_FLAG_REENTER, q);
+	} else {
+		queue_flag_set(QUEUE_FLAG_PLUGGED, q);
+		kblockd_schedule_work(q, &q->unplug_work);
+	}
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(__blk_run_queue);