diff --git a/kernel/audit.c b/kernel/audit.c
index c05b6027e874..9c4ec29a707b 100644
--- a/kernel/audit.c
+++ b/kernel/audit.c
@@ -1319,7 +1319,8 @@ struct audit_buffer *audit_log_start(struct audit_context *ctx, gfp_t gfp_mask,
 	struct audit_buffer	*ab	= NULL;
 	struct timespec		t;
 	unsigned int		uninitialized_var(serial);
-	int reserve;
+	int reserve = 5; /* Allow atomic callers to go up to five
+			    entries over the normal backlog limit */
 	unsigned long timeout_start = jiffies;
 
 	if (audit_initialized != AUDIT_INITIALIZED)
@@ -1328,11 +1329,12 @@ struct audit_buffer *audit_log_start(struct audit_context *ctx, gfp_t gfp_mask,
 	if (unlikely(audit_filter_type(type)))
 		return NULL;
 
-	if (gfp_mask & __GFP_WAIT)
-		reserve = 0;
-	else
-		reserve = 5; /* Allow atomic callers to go up to five
-				entries over the normal backlog limit */
+	if (gfp_mask & __GFP_WAIT) {
+		if (audit_pid && audit_pid == current->pid)
+			gfp_mask &= ~__GFP_WAIT;
+		else
+			reserve = 0;
+	}
 
 	while (audit_backlog_limit
 	       && skb_queue_len(&audit_skb_queue) > audit_backlog_limit + reserve) {