diff --git a/fs/io_uring.c b/fs/io_uring.c
index 86162ebd6bae..cc2d3de16423 100644
--- a/fs/io_uring.c
+++ b/fs/io_uring.c
@@ -1831,11 +1831,16 @@ static void io_dismantle_req(struct io_kiocb *req)
 static void __io_free_req(struct io_kiocb *req)
 {
 	struct io_ring_ctx *ctx = req->ctx;
+	unsigned long flags;
 
 	io_dismantle_req(req);
 	io_put_task(req->task, 1);
 
-	kmem_cache_free(req_cachep, req);
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&ctx->completion_lock, flags);
+	list_add(&req->compl.list, &ctx->locked_free_list);
+	ctx->locked_free_nr++;
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ctx->completion_lock, flags);
+
 	percpu_ref_put(&ctx->refs);
 }