diff --git a/kernel/printk.c b/kernel/printk.c
index 89011bf8c106..e6c1f36d8c3a 100644
--- a/kernel/printk.c
+++ b/kernel/printk.c
@@ -628,30 +628,57 @@ asmlinkage int printk(const char *fmt, ...)
 /* cpu currently holding logbuf_lock */
 static volatile unsigned int printk_cpu = UINT_MAX;
 
+const char printk_recursion_bug_msg [] =
+			KERN_CRIT "BUG: recent printk recursion!\n";
+static int printk_recursion_bug;
+
 asmlinkage int vprintk(const char *fmt, va_list args)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
-	int printed_len;
-	char *p;
-	static char printk_buf[1024];
 	static int log_level_unknown = 1;
+	static char printk_buf[1024];
+
+	unsigned long flags;
+	int printed_len = 0;
+	int this_cpu;
+	char *p;
 
 	boot_delay_msec();
 
 	preempt_disable();
-	if (unlikely(oops_in_progress) && printk_cpu == smp_processor_id())
-		/* If a crash is occurring during printk() on this CPU,
-		 * make sure we can't deadlock */
-		zap_locks();
-
 	/* This stops the holder of console_sem just where we want him */
 	raw_local_irq_save(flags);
+	this_cpu = smp_processor_id();
+
+	/*
+	 * Ouch, printk recursed into itself!
+	 */
+	if (unlikely(printk_cpu == this_cpu)) {
+		/*
+		 * If a crash is occurring during printk() on this CPU,
+		 * then try to get the crash message out but make sure
+		 * we can't deadlock. Otherwise just return to avoid the
+		 * recursion and return - but flag the recursion so that
+		 * it can be printed at the next appropriate moment:
+		 */
+		if (!oops_in_progress) {
+			printk_recursion_bug = 1;
+			goto out_restore_irqs;
+		}
+		zap_locks();
+	}
+
 	lockdep_off();
 	spin_lock(&logbuf_lock);
-	printk_cpu = smp_processor_id();
+	printk_cpu = this_cpu;
 
+	if (printk_recursion_bug) {
+		printk_recursion_bug = 0;
+		strcpy(printk_buf, printk_recursion_bug_msg);
+		printed_len = sizeof(printk_recursion_bug_msg);
+	}
 	/* Emit the output into the temporary buffer */
-	printed_len = vscnprintf(printk_buf, sizeof(printk_buf), fmt, args);
+	printed_len += vscnprintf(printk_buf + printed_len,
+				  sizeof(printk_buf), fmt, args);
 
 	/*
 	 * Copy the output into log_buf.  If the caller didn't provide
@@ -744,6 +771,7 @@ asmlinkage int vprintk(const char *fmt, va_list args)
 		printk_cpu = UINT_MAX;
 		spin_unlock(&logbuf_lock);
 		lockdep_on();
+out_restore_irqs:
 		raw_local_irq_restore(flags);
 	}