diff --git a/mm/page_alloc.c b/mm/page_alloc.c
index 30f327a720fd..485932c577e7 100644
--- a/mm/page_alloc.c
+++ b/mm/page_alloc.c
@@ -1937,9 +1937,6 @@ zonelist_scan:
 			(alloc_flags & ALLOC_CPUSET) &&
 			!cpuset_zone_allowed_softwall(zone, gfp_mask))
 				continue;
-		BUILD_BUG_ON(ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS < NR_WMARK);
-		if (unlikely(alloc_flags & ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS))
-			goto try_this_zone;
 		/*
 		 * Distribute pages in proportion to the individual
 		 * zone size to ensure fair page aging.  The zone a
@@ -1986,6 +1983,11 @@ zonelist_scan:
 				       classzone_idx, alloc_flags)) {
 			int ret;
 
+			/* Checked here to keep the fast path fast */
+			BUILD_BUG_ON(ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS < NR_WMARK);
+			if (alloc_flags & ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS)
+				goto try_this_zone;
+
 			if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NUMA) &&
 					!did_zlc_setup && nr_online_nodes > 1) {
 				/*