diff --git a/mm/list_lru.c b/mm/list_lru.c
index 5497034e80f3..7d0523e44010 100644
--- a/mm/list_lru.c
+++ b/mm/list_lru.c
@@ -68,17 +68,12 @@ list_lru_from_memcg_idx(struct list_lru *lru, int nid, int idx)
 	return &lru->node[nid].lru;
 }
 
-static inline bool lock_list_lru(struct list_lru_one *l, bool irq)
+static inline void lock_list_lru(struct list_lru_one *l, bool irq)
 {
 	if (irq)
 		spin_lock_irq(&l->lock);
 	else
 		spin_lock(&l->lock);
-	if (unlikely(READ_ONCE(l->nr_items) == LONG_MIN)) {
-		unlock_list_lru(l, irq);
-		return false;
-	}
-	return true;
 }
 
 static inline struct list_lru_one *
@@ -90,9 +85,13 @@ lock_list_lru_of_memcg(struct list_lru *lru, int nid,
 	rcu_read_lock();
 again:
 	l = list_lru_from_memcg_idx(lru, nid, memcg_kmem_id(*memcg));
-	if (likely(l) && lock_list_lru(l, irq)) {
-		rcu_read_unlock();
-		return l;
+	if (likely(l)) {
+		lock_list_lru(l, irq);
+		if (likely(READ_ONCE(l->nr_items) != LONG_MIN)) {
+			rcu_read_unlock();
+			return l;
+		}
+		unlock_list_lru(l, irq);
 	}
 	/*
 	 * Caller may simply bail out if raced with reparenting or