diff --git a/mm/vmscan.c b/mm/vmscan.c
index f6b435c80079..8bfd45050a61 100644
--- a/mm/vmscan.c
+++ b/mm/vmscan.c
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ keep_lumpy:
 	 * back off and wait for congestion to clear because further reclaim
 	 * will encounter the same problem
 	 */
-	if (nr_dirty == nr_congested && nr_dirty != 0)
+	if (nr_dirty && nr_dirty == nr_congested && scanning_global_lru(sc))
 		zone_set_flag(zone, ZONE_CONGESTED);
 
 	free_page_list(&free_pages);