diff --git a/mm/zsmalloc.c b/mm/zsmalloc.c
index 2c1430bf8d57..e7417ece1c12 100644
--- a/mm/zsmalloc.c
+++ b/mm/zsmalloc.c
@@ -1727,7 +1727,19 @@ static int zs_page_migrate(struct page *newpage, struct page *page,
 	if (!zspage_write_trylock(zspage)) {
 		spin_unlock(&class->lock);
 		write_unlock(&pool->lock);
-		return -EINVAL;
+		/*
+		 * Return -EBUSY but not -EAGAIN: the zspage's reader-lock
+		 * owner may hold the lock for an unbounded duration due to a
+		 * slow decompression or reader-lock owner preemption.
+		 * Since migration retries are bounded by
+		 * NR_MAX_MIGRATE_PAGES_RETRY and performed with virtually no
+		 * delay between attempts, there is no guarantee the lock will
+		 * be released in time for a retry to succeed.
+		 * -EAGAIN implies "try again soon", which does not hold here.
+		 * -EBUSY more accurately conveys "resource is occupied,
+		 * migration cannot proceed".
+		 */
+		return -EBUSY;
 	}
 
 	/* We're committed, tell the world that this is a Zsmalloc page. */