diff --git a/drivers/mmc/core/core.c b/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
index 910aa254f23a..f95d41ffc766 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@
  */
 #define MMC_BKOPS_MAX_TIMEOUT	(4 * 60 * 1000) /* max time to wait in ms */
 
-static struct workqueue_struct *workqueue;
 static const unsigned freqs[] = { 400000, 300000, 200000, 100000 };
 
 /*
@@ -66,21 +65,16 @@ static const unsigned freqs[] = { 400000, 300000, 200000, 100000 };
 bool use_spi_crc = 1;
 module_param(use_spi_crc, bool, 0);
 
-/*
- * Internal function. Schedule delayed work in the MMC work queue.
- */
 static int mmc_schedule_delayed_work(struct delayed_work *work,
 				     unsigned long delay)
 {
-	return queue_delayed_work(workqueue, work, delay);
-}
-
-/*
- * Internal function. Flush all scheduled work from the MMC work queue.
- */
-static void mmc_flush_scheduled_work(void)
-{
-	flush_workqueue(workqueue);
+	/*
+	 * We use the system_freezable_wq, because of two reasons.
+	 * First, it allows several works (not the same work item) to be
+	 * executed simultaneously. Second, the queue becomes frozen when
+	 * userspace becomes frozen during system PM.
+	 */
+	return queue_delayed_work(system_freezable_wq, work, delay);
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_FAIL_MMC_REQUEST
@@ -2669,7 +2663,6 @@ void mmc_stop_host(struct mmc_host *host)
 
 	host->rescan_disable = 1;
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&host->detect);
-	mmc_flush_scheduled_work();
 
 	/* clear pm flags now and let card drivers set them as needed */
 	host->pm_flags = 0;
@@ -2852,13 +2845,9 @@ static int __init mmc_init(void)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	workqueue = alloc_ordered_workqueue("kmmcd", 0);
-	if (!workqueue)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
 	ret = mmc_register_bus();
 	if (ret)
-		goto destroy_workqueue;
+		return ret;
 
 	ret = mmc_register_host_class();
 	if (ret)
@@ -2874,9 +2863,6 @@ unregister_host_class:
 	mmc_unregister_host_class();
 unregister_bus:
 	mmc_unregister_bus();
-destroy_workqueue:
-	destroy_workqueue(workqueue);
-
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -2885,7 +2871,6 @@ static void __exit mmc_exit(void)
 	sdio_unregister_bus();
 	mmc_unregister_host_class();
 	mmc_unregister_bus();
-	destroy_workqueue(workqueue);
 }
 
 subsys_initcall(mmc_init);