diff --git a/kernel/cgroup.c b/kernel/cgroup.c
index d1c51b7f5221..0d4ee1ea5c31 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup.c
@@ -3446,9 +3446,28 @@ static ssize_t cgroup_subtree_control_write(struct kernfs_open_file *of,
 	 * Except for the root, subtree_control must be zero for a cgroup
 	 * with tasks so that child cgroups don't compete against tasks.
 	 */
-	if (enable && cgroup_parent(cgrp) && !list_empty(&cgrp->cset_links)) {
-		ret = -EBUSY;
-		goto out_unlock;
+	if (enable && cgroup_parent(cgrp)) {
+		struct cgrp_cset_link *link;
+
+		/*
+		 * Because namespaces pin csets too, @cgrp->cset_links
+		 * might not be empty even when @cgrp is empty.  Walk and
+		 * verify each cset.
+		 */
+		spin_lock_irq(&css_set_lock);
+
+		ret = 0;
+		list_for_each_entry(link, &cgrp->cset_links, cset_link) {
+			if (css_set_populated(link->cset)) {
+				ret = -EBUSY;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+
+		spin_unlock_irq(&css_set_lock);
+
+		if (ret)
+			goto out_unlock;
 	}
 
 	/* save and update control masks and prepare csses */
@@ -3899,7 +3918,9 @@ void cgroup_file_notify(struct cgroup_file *cfile)
  * cgroup_task_count - count the number of tasks in a cgroup.
  * @cgrp: the cgroup in question
  *
- * Return the number of tasks in the cgroup.
+ * Return the number of tasks in the cgroup.  The returned number can be
+ * higher than the actual number of tasks due to css_set references from
+ * namespace roots and temporary usages.
  */
 static int cgroup_task_count(const struct cgroup *cgrp)
 {