diff --git a/mm/ksm.c b/mm/ksm.c
index 5048083b60f23bb2f0f78af969d6aa5df39aebfd..9ae6011a41f895d56942175814d1fe0158a591b7 100644
--- a/mm/ksm.c
+++ b/mm/ksm.c
@@ -299,7 +299,12 @@ static inline void free_rmap_item(struct rmap_item *rmap_item)
 
 static inline struct stable_node *alloc_stable_node(void)
 {
-	return kmem_cache_alloc(stable_node_cache, GFP_KERNEL);
+	/*
+	 * The allocation can take too long with GFP_KERNEL when memory is under
+	 * pressure, which may lead to hung task warnings.  Adding __GFP_HIGH
+	 * grants access to memory reserves, helping to avoid this problem.
+	 */
+	return kmem_cache_alloc(stable_node_cache, GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_HIGH);
 }
 
 static inline void free_stable_node(struct stable_node *stable_node)