diff --git a/mm/vmscan.c b/mm/vmscan.c
index 44df66a98f2a..dbdc46a84f63 100644
--- a/mm/vmscan.c
+++ b/mm/vmscan.c
@@ -699,7 +699,14 @@ static unsigned long shrink_slab(gfp_t gfp_mask, int nid,
 	unsigned long ret, freed = 0;
 	struct shrinker *shrinker;
 
-	if (!mem_cgroup_is_root(memcg))
+	/*
+	 * The root memcg might be allocated even though memcg is disabled
+	 * via "cgroup_disable=memory" boot parameter.  This could make
+	 * mem_cgroup_is_root() return false, then just run memcg slab
+	 * shrink, but skip global shrink.  This may result in premature
+	 * oom.
+	 */
+	if (!mem_cgroup_disabled() && !mem_cgroup_is_root(memcg))
 		return shrink_slab_memcg(gfp_mask, nid, memcg, priority);
 
 	if (!down_read_trylock(&shrinker_rwsem))