diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 0ee63af30bd1..3150b217c936 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -4100,7 +4100,8 @@ static void wq_update_unbound_numa(struct workqueue_struct *wq, int cpu,
 	if (!pwq) {
 		pr_warning("workqueue: allocation failed while updating NUMA affinity of \"%s\"\n",
 			   wq->name);
-		goto out_unlock;
+		mutex_lock(&wq->mutex);
+		goto use_dfl_pwq;
 	}
 
 	/*