diff --git a/mm/page_alloc.c b/mm/page_alloc.c
index 62d1ea3..6903b69 100644
--- a/mm/page_alloc.c
+++ b/mm/page_alloc.c
@@ -3604,6 +3604,17 @@
 	 */
 	alloc_flags = gfp_to_alloc_flags(gfp_mask);
 
+	/*
+	 * Reset the zonelist iterators if memory policies can be ignored.
+	 * These allocations are high priority and system rather than user
+	 * orientated.
+	 */
+	if ((alloc_flags & ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS) || !(alloc_flags & ALLOC_CPUSET)) {
+		ac->zonelist = node_zonelist(numa_node_id(), gfp_mask);
+		ac->preferred_zoneref = first_zones_zonelist(ac->zonelist,
+					ac->high_zoneidx, ac->nodemask);
+	}
+
 	/* This is the last chance, in general, before the goto nopage. */
 	page = get_page_from_freelist(gfp_mask, order,
 				alloc_flags & ~ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS, ac);
@@ -3612,12 +3623,6 @@
 
 	/* Allocate without watermarks if the context allows */
 	if (alloc_flags & ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS) {
-		/*
-		 * Ignore mempolicies if ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS on the grounds
-		 * the allocation is high priority and these type of
-		 * allocations are system rather than user orientated
-		 */
-		ac->zonelist = node_zonelist(numa_node_id(), gfp_mask);
 		page = get_page_from_freelist(gfp_mask, order,
 						ALLOC_NO_WATERMARKS, ac);
 		if (page)
@@ -3816,7 +3821,11 @@
 	/* Dirty zone balancing only done in the fast path */
 	ac.spread_dirty_pages = (gfp_mask & __GFP_WRITE);
 
-	/* The preferred zone is used for statistics later */
+	/*
+	 * The preferred zone is used for statistics but crucially it is
+	 * also used as the starting point for the zonelist iterator. It
+	 * may get reset for allocations that ignore memory policies.
+	 */
 	ac.preferred_zoneref = first_zones_zonelist(ac.zonelist,
 					ac.high_zoneidx, ac.nodemask);
 	if (!ac.preferred_zoneref) {