diff --git a/mm/slab_common.c b/mm/slab_common.c
index b19ba1b31484..7223a7596dab 100644
--- a/mm/slab_common.c
+++ b/mm/slab_common.c
@@ -1667,14 +1667,6 @@ static bool kfree_rcu_sheaf(void *obj)
 {
 	struct kmem_cache *s;
 	struct slab *slab;
-	unsigned int free_flags = SLAB_FREE_DEFAULT;
-
-	/*
-	 * It is not safe to spin on PREEMPT_RT because the kernel might be
-	 * holding a raw spinlock and slab acquires sleeping locks.
-	 */
-	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT))
-		free_flags = SLAB_FREE_NOLOCK;
 
 	if (is_vmalloc_addr(obj))
 		return false;
@@ -1685,7 +1677,7 @@ static bool kfree_rcu_sheaf(void *obj)
 
 	s = slab->slab_cache;
 	if (likely(!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NUMA) || slab_nid(slab) == numa_mem_id()))
-		return __kfree_rcu_sheaf(s, obj, free_flags);
+		return __kfree_rcu_sheaf(s, obj, SLAB_FREE_DEFAULT);
 
 	return false;
 }
@@ -2034,7 +2026,13 @@ void kvfree_call_rcu(struct kvfree_rcu_head *head, void *ptr)
 	if (!head)
 		might_sleep();
 
-	if (kfree_rcu_sheaf(ptr))
+	/*
+	 * kvfree_rcu() is called by set_cpus_allowed_force() with
+	 * task_struct::pi_lock acquired. On PREEMPT_RT the local_trylock()
+	 * usage below will acquire the waitlock which must be avoided.
+	 * Therefore avoid it on PREEMPT_RT.
+	 */
+	if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT) && kfree_rcu_sheaf(ptr))
 		return;
 
 	// Queue the object but don't yet schedule the batch.
diff --git a/mm/slub.c b/mm/slub.c
index f9b56cb439e7..7a7e906a0e44 100644
--- a/mm/slub.c
+++ b/mm/slub.c
@@ -6088,8 +6088,9 @@ static void rcu_free_sheaf(struct rcu_head *head)
 /*
  * kvfree_call_rcu() can be called while holding a raw_spinlock_t. Since
  * __kfree_rcu_sheaf() may acquire a spinlock_t (sleeping lock on PREEMPT_RT),
- * this would violate lock nesting rules. Therefore, kvfree_call_rcu() avoids
- * this problem by passing SLAB_FREE_NOLOCK on PREEMPT_RT.
+ * this would violate lock nesting rules. Therefore, kfree_call_rcu_nolock()
+ * avoids this problem by passing SLAB_FREE_NOLOCK. kvfree_call_rcu() is
+ * bypassing the sheaves layer completely on PREEMPT_RT.
  *
  * However, lockdep still complains that it is invalid to acquire spinlock_t
  * while holding raw_spinlock_t, even on !PREEMPT_RT where spinlock_t is a