diff --git a/mm/vmscan.c b/mm/vmscan.c
index 2a6978a07d56..f406e6fbaaa5 100644
--- a/mm/vmscan.c
+++ b/mm/vmscan.c
@@ -2598,38 +2598,35 @@ static bool shrink_node(pg_data_t *pgdat, struct scan_control *sc)
 }
 
 /*
- * Returns true if compaction should go ahead for a high-order request, or
- * the high-order allocation would succeed without compaction.
+ * Returns true if compaction should go ahead for a costly-order request, or
+ * the allocation would already succeed without compaction. Return false if we
+ * should reclaim first.
  */
 static inline bool compaction_ready(struct zone *zone, struct scan_control *sc)
 {
 	unsigned long watermark;
-	bool watermark_ok;
+	enum compact_result suitable;
 
-	/*
-	 * Compaction takes time to run and there are potentially other
-	 * callers using the pages just freed. Continue reclaiming until
-	 * there is a buffer of free pages available to give compaction
-	 * a reasonable chance of completing and allocating the page
-	 */
-	watermark = high_wmark_pages(zone) + compact_gap(sc->order);
-	watermark_ok = zone_watermark_ok_safe(zone, 0, watermark, sc->reclaim_idx);
-
-	/*
-	 * If compaction is deferred, reclaim up to a point where
-	 * compaction will have a chance of success when re-enabled
-	 */
-	if (compaction_deferred(zone, sc->order))
-		return watermark_ok;
-
-	/*
-	 * If compaction is not ready to start and allocation is not likely
-	 * to succeed without it, then keep reclaiming.
-	 */
-	if (compaction_suitable(zone, sc->order, 0, sc->reclaim_idx) == COMPACT_SKIPPED)
+	suitable = compaction_suitable(zone, sc->order, 0, sc->reclaim_idx);
+	if (suitable == COMPACT_SUCCESS)
+		/* Allocation should succeed already. Don't reclaim. */
+		return true;
+	if (suitable == COMPACT_SKIPPED)
+		/* Compaction cannot yet proceed. Do reclaim. */
 		return false;
 
-	return watermark_ok;
+	/*
+	 * Compaction is already possible, but it takes time to run and there
+	 * are potentially other callers using the pages just freed. So proceed
+	 * with reclaim to make a buffer of free pages available to give
+	 * compaction a reasonable chance of completing and allocating the page.
+	 * Note that we won't actually reclaim the whole buffer in one attempt
+	 * as the target watermark in should_continue_reclaim() is lower. But if
+	 * we are already above the high+gap watermark, don't reclaim at all.
+	 */
+	watermark = high_wmark_pages(zone) + compact_gap(sc->order);
+
+	return zone_watermark_ok_safe(zone, 0, watermark, sc->reclaim_idx);
 }
 
 /*