diff --git a/mm/page_alloc.c b/mm/page_alloc.c
index afb29da0576c..d88d67584765 100644
--- a/mm/page_alloc.c
+++ b/mm/page_alloc.c
@@ -2575,7 +2575,14 @@ rebalance:
 					&did_some_progress);
 	if (page)
 		goto got_pg;
-	migration_mode = MIGRATE_SYNC_LIGHT;
+
+	/*
+	 * It can become very expensive to allocate transparent hugepages at
+	 * fault, so use asynchronous memory compaction for THP unless it is
+	 * khugepaged trying to collapse.
+	 */
+	if (!(gfp_mask & __GFP_NO_KSWAPD) || (current->flags & PF_KTHREAD))
+		migration_mode = MIGRATE_SYNC_LIGHT;
 
 	/*
 	 * If compaction is deferred for high-order allocations, it is because