diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 8c34981d90ad..8dd2e66e8383 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -3940,6 +3940,37 @@ static int wq_clamp_max_active(int max_active, unsigned int flags,
 	return clamp_val(max_active, 1, lim);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Workqueues which may be used during memory reclaim should have a rescuer
+ * to guarantee forward progress.
+ */
+static int init_rescuer(struct workqueue_struct *wq)
+{
+	struct worker *rescuer;
+	int ret;
+
+	if (!(wq->flags & WQ_MEM_RECLAIM))
+		return 0;
+
+	rescuer = alloc_worker(NUMA_NO_NODE);
+	if (!rescuer)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	rescuer->rescue_wq = wq;
+	rescuer->task = kthread_create(rescuer_thread, rescuer, "%s", wq->name);
+	ret = PTR_ERR_OR_ZERO(rescuer->task);
+	if (ret) {
+		kfree(rescuer);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	wq->rescuer = rescuer;
+	kthread_bind_mask(rescuer->task, cpu_possible_mask);
+	wake_up_process(rescuer->task);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 struct workqueue_struct *__alloc_workqueue_key(const char *fmt,
 					       unsigned int flags,
 					       int max_active,
@@ -4002,29 +4033,8 @@ struct workqueue_struct *__alloc_workqueue_key(const char *fmt,
 	if (alloc_and_link_pwqs(wq) < 0)
 		goto err_free_wq;
 
-	/*
-	 * Workqueues which may be used during memory reclaim should
-	 * have a rescuer to guarantee forward progress.
-	 */
-	if (flags & WQ_MEM_RECLAIM) {
-		struct worker *rescuer;
-
-		rescuer = alloc_worker(NUMA_NO_NODE);
-		if (!rescuer)
-			goto err_destroy;
-
-		rescuer->rescue_wq = wq;
-		rescuer->task = kthread_create(rescuer_thread, rescuer, "%s",
-					       wq->name);
-		if (IS_ERR(rescuer->task)) {
-			kfree(rescuer);
-			goto err_destroy;
-		}
-
-		wq->rescuer = rescuer;
-		kthread_bind_mask(rescuer->task, cpu_possible_mask);
-		wake_up_process(rescuer->task);
-	}
+	if (wq_online && init_rescuer(wq) < 0)
+		goto err_destroy;
 
 	if ((wq->flags & WQ_SYSFS) && workqueue_sysfs_register(wq))
 		goto err_destroy;
@@ -5642,6 +5652,8 @@ int __init workqueue_init(void)
 	 * archs such as power and arm64.  As per-cpu pools created
 	 * previously could be missing node hint and unbound pools NUMA
 	 * affinity, fix them up.
+	 *
+	 * Also, while iterating workqueues, create rescuers if requested.
 	 */
 	wq_numa_init();
 
@@ -5653,8 +5665,12 @@ int __init workqueue_init(void)
 		}
 	}
 
-	list_for_each_entry(wq, &workqueues, list)
+	list_for_each_entry(wq, &workqueues, list) {
 		wq_update_unbound_numa(wq, smp_processor_id(), true);
+		WARN(init_rescuer(wq),
+		     "workqueue: failed to create early rescuer for %s",
+		     wq->name);
+	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&wq_pool_mutex);