diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 856188b0681a..a2c4de2a1132 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -5273,9 +5273,13 @@ static int workqueue_apply_unbound_cpumask(void)
 	list_for_each_entry(wq, &workqueues, list) {
 		if (!(wq->flags & WQ_UNBOUND))
 			continue;
+
 		/* creating multiple pwqs breaks ordering guarantee */
-		if (wq->flags & __WQ_ORDERED)
-			continue;
+		if (!list_empty(&wq->pwqs)) {
+			if (wq->flags & __WQ_ORDERED_EXPLICIT)
+				continue;
+			wq->flags &= ~__WQ_ORDERED;
+		}
 
 		ctx = apply_wqattrs_prepare(wq, wq->unbound_attrs);
 		if (!ctx) {