diff --git a/mm/page_counter.c b/mm/page_counter.c
index c6860f51b6c6..7d83641eb86b 100644
--- a/mm/page_counter.c
+++ b/mm/page_counter.c
@@ -52,9 +52,13 @@ void page_counter_cancel(struct page_counter *counter, unsigned long nr_pages)
 	long new;
 
 	new = atomic_long_sub_return(nr_pages, &counter->usage);
-	propagate_protected_usage(counter, new);
 	/* More uncharges than charges? */
-	WARN_ON_ONCE(new < 0);
+	if (WARN_ONCE(new < 0, "page_counter underflow: %ld nr_pages=%lu\n",
+		      new, nr_pages)) {
+		new = 0;
+		atomic_long_set(&counter->usage, new);
+	}
+	propagate_protected_usage(counter, new);
 }
 
 /**