diff --git a/include/linux/sched/sd_flags.h b/include/linux/sched/sd_flags.h
index 40ad0d5c32e3..d28fe67c3098 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched/sd_flags.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched/sd_flags.h
@@ -131,8 +131,10 @@ SD_FLAG(SD_ASYM_PACKING, SDF_SHARED_CHILD)
  *
  * Set up until domains start spanning NUMA nodes. Close to being a SHARED_CHILD
  * flag, but cleared below domains with SD_ASYM_CPUCAPACITY.
+ *
+ * NEEDS_GROUPS: Load balancing flag.
  */
-SD_FLAG(SD_PREFER_SIBLING, 0)
+SD_FLAG(SD_PREFER_SIBLING, SDF_NEEDS_GROUPS)
 
 /*
  * sched_groups of this level overlap
diff --git a/kernel/sched/topology.c b/kernel/sched/topology.c
index f36ed96f3197..c674aaab312c 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/topology.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/topology.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ sd_parent_degenerate(struct sched_domain *sd, struct sched_domain *parent)
 
 	/* Flags needing groups don't count if only 1 group in parent */
 	if (parent->groups == parent->groups->next)
-		pflags &= ~(SD_DEGENERATE_GROUPS_MASK | SD_PREFER_SIBLING);
+		pflags &= ~SD_DEGENERATE_GROUPS_MASK;
 
 	if (~cflags & pflags)
 		return 0;