diff --git a/Documentation/vm/transhuge.txt b/Documentation/vm/transhuge.txt
index 0dc8632aa01e..d9cb65cf5cfd 100644
--- a/Documentation/vm/transhuge.txt
+++ b/Documentation/vm/transhuge.txt
@@ -113,9 +113,26 @@ guaranteed, but it may be more likely in case the allocation is for a
 MADV_HUGEPAGE region.
 
 echo always >/sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag
+echo defer >/sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag
 echo madvise >/sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag
 echo never >/sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag
 
+"always" means that an application requesting THP will stall on allocation
+failure and directly reclaim pages and compact memory in an effort to
+allocate a THP immediately. This may be desirable for virtual machines
+that benefit heavily from THP use and are willing to delay the VM start
+to utilise them.
+
+"defer" means that an application will wake kswapd in the background
+to reclaim pages and wake kcompact to compact memory so that THP is
+available in the near future. It's the responsibility of khugepaged
+to then install the THP pages later.
+
+"madvise" will enter direct reclaim like "always" but only for regions
+that are have used madvise(MADV_HUGEPAGE). This is the default behaviour.
+
+"never" should be self-explanatory.
+
 By default kernel tries to use huge zero page on read page fault.
 It's possible to disable huge zero page by writing 0 or enable it
 back by writing 1:
diff --git a/include/linux/gfp.h b/include/linux/gfp.h
index c083d0820a87..11d56c6e7ef2 100644
--- a/include/linux/gfp.h
+++ b/include/linux/gfp.h
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ struct vm_area_struct;
 #define GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE	(GFP_HIGHUSER | __GFP_MOVABLE)
 #define GFP_TRANSHUGE	((GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE | __GFP_COMP | \
 			 __GFP_NOMEMALLOC | __GFP_NORETRY | __GFP_NOWARN) & \
-			 ~__GFP_KSWAPD_RECLAIM)
+			 ~__GFP_RECLAIM)
 
 /* Convert GFP flags to their corresponding migrate type */
 #define GFP_MOVABLE_MASK (__GFP_RECLAIMABLE|__GFP_MOVABLE)
diff --git a/include/linux/huge_mm.h b/include/linux/huge_mm.h
index 459fd25b378e..a4cecb4801ec 100644
--- a/include/linux/huge_mm.h
+++ b/include/linux/huge_mm.h
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ int vmf_insert_pfn_pmd(struct vm_area_struct *, unsigned long addr, pmd_t *,
 enum transparent_hugepage_flag {
 	TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_FLAG,
 	TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_REQ_MADV_FLAG,
-	TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_FLAG,
+	TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_DIRECT_FLAG,
+	TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_KSWAPD_FLAG,
 	TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_REQ_MADV_FLAG,
 	TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_KHUGEPAGED_FLAG,
 	TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_USE_ZERO_PAGE_FLAG,
@@ -71,12 +72,6 @@ extern bool is_vma_temporary_stack(struct vm_area_struct *vma);
 	   ((__vma)->vm_flags & VM_HUGEPAGE))) &&			\
 	 !((__vma)->vm_flags & VM_NOHUGEPAGE) &&			\
 	 !is_vma_temporary_stack(__vma))
-#define transparent_hugepage_defrag(__vma)				\
-	((transparent_hugepage_flags &					\
-	  (1<<TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_FLAG)) ||			\
-	 (transparent_hugepage_flags &					\
-	  (1<<TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_REQ_MADV_FLAG) &&		\
-	  (__vma)->vm_flags & VM_HUGEPAGE))
 #define transparent_hugepage_use_zero_page()				\
 	(transparent_hugepage_flags &					\
 	 (1<<TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_USE_ZERO_PAGE_FLAG))
diff --git a/mm/huge_memory.c b/mm/huge_memory.c
index 1dddfb21fc22..e08b1659ff19 100644
--- a/mm/huge_memory.c
+++ b/mm/huge_memory.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ unsigned long transparent_hugepage_flags __read_mostly =
 #ifdef CONFIG_TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_MADVISE
 	(1<<TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_REQ_MADV_FLAG)|
 #endif
-	(1<<TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_FLAG)|
+	(1<<TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_REQ_MADV_FLAG)|
 	(1<<TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_KHUGEPAGED_FLAG)|
 	(1<<TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_USE_ZERO_PAGE_FLAG);
 
@@ -270,37 +270,35 @@ static struct shrinker huge_zero_page_shrinker = {
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS
 
-static ssize_t double_flag_show(struct kobject *kobj,
-				struct kobj_attribute *attr, char *buf,
-				enum transparent_hugepage_flag enabled,
-				enum transparent_hugepage_flag req_madv)
-{
-	if (test_bit(enabled, &transparent_hugepage_flags)) {
-		VM_BUG_ON(test_bit(req_madv, &transparent_hugepage_flags));
-		return sprintf(buf, "[always] madvise never\n");
-	} else if (test_bit(req_madv, &transparent_hugepage_flags))
-		return sprintf(buf, "always [madvise] never\n");
-	else
-		return sprintf(buf, "always madvise [never]\n");
-}
-static ssize_t double_flag_store(struct kobject *kobj,
+static ssize_t triple_flag_store(struct kobject *kobj,
 				 struct kobj_attribute *attr,
 				 const char *buf, size_t count,
 				 enum transparent_hugepage_flag enabled,
+				 enum transparent_hugepage_flag deferred,
 				 enum transparent_hugepage_flag req_madv)
 {
-	if (!memcmp("always", buf,
-		    min(sizeof("always")-1, count))) {
-		set_bit(enabled, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
+	if (!memcmp("defer", buf,
+		    min(sizeof("defer")-1, count))) {
+		if (enabled == deferred)
+			return -EINVAL;
+		clear_bit(enabled, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
 		clear_bit(req_madv, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
+		set_bit(deferred, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
+	} else if (!memcmp("always", buf,
+		    min(sizeof("always")-1, count))) {
+		clear_bit(deferred, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
+		clear_bit(req_madv, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
+		set_bit(enabled, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
 	} else if (!memcmp("madvise", buf,
 			   min(sizeof("madvise")-1, count))) {
 		clear_bit(enabled, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
+		clear_bit(deferred, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
 		set_bit(req_madv, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
 	} else if (!memcmp("never", buf,
 			   min(sizeof("never")-1, count))) {
 		clear_bit(enabled, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
 		clear_bit(req_madv, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
+		clear_bit(deferred, &transparent_hugepage_flags);
 	} else
 		return -EINVAL;
 
@@ -310,17 +308,22 @@ static ssize_t double_flag_store(struct kobject *kobj,
 static ssize_t enabled_show(struct kobject *kobj,
 			    struct kobj_attribute *attr, char *buf)
 {
-	return double_flag_show(kobj, attr, buf,
-				TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_FLAG,
-				TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_REQ_MADV_FLAG);
+	if (test_bit(TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_FLAG, &transparent_hugepage_flags))
+		return sprintf(buf, "[always] madvise never\n");
+	else if (test_bit(TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_REQ_MADV_FLAG, &transparent_hugepage_flags))
+		return sprintf(buf, "always [madvise] never\n");
+	else
+		return sprintf(buf, "always madvise [never]\n");
 }
+
 static ssize_t enabled_store(struct kobject *kobj,
 			     struct kobj_attribute *attr,
 			     const char *buf, size_t count)
 {
 	ssize_t ret;
 
-	ret = double_flag_store(kobj, attr, buf, count,
+	ret = triple_flag_store(kobj, attr, buf, count,
+				TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_FLAG,
 				TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_FLAG,
 				TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_REQ_MADV_FLAG);
 
@@ -378,16 +381,23 @@ static ssize_t single_flag_store(struct kobject *kobj,
 static ssize_t defrag_show(struct kobject *kobj,
 			   struct kobj_attribute *attr, char *buf)
 {
-	return double_flag_show(kobj, attr, buf,
-				TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_FLAG,
-				TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_REQ_MADV_FLAG);
+	if (test_bit(TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_DIRECT_FLAG, &transparent_hugepage_flags))
+		return sprintf(buf, "[always] defer madvise never\n");
+	if (test_bit(TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_KSWAPD_FLAG, &transparent_hugepage_flags))
+		return sprintf(buf, "always [defer] madvise never\n");
+	else if (test_bit(TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_REQ_MADV_FLAG, &transparent_hugepage_flags))
+		return sprintf(buf, "always defer [madvise] never\n");
+	else
+		return sprintf(buf, "always defer madvise [never]\n");
+
 }
 static ssize_t defrag_store(struct kobject *kobj,
 			    struct kobj_attribute *attr,
 			    const char *buf, size_t count)
 {
-	return double_flag_store(kobj, attr, buf, count,
-				 TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_FLAG,
+	return triple_flag_store(kobj, attr, buf, count,
+				 TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_DIRECT_FLAG,
+				 TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_KSWAPD_FLAG,
 				 TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_REQ_MADV_FLAG);
 }
 static struct kobj_attribute defrag_attr =
@@ -843,9 +853,30 @@ static int __do_huge_pmd_anonymous_page(struct mm_struct *mm,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static inline gfp_t alloc_hugepage_gfpmask(int defrag, gfp_t extra_gfp)
+/*
+ * If THP is set to always then directly reclaim/compact as necessary
+ * If set to defer then do no reclaim and defer to khugepaged
+ * If set to madvise and the VMA is flagged then directly reclaim/compact
+ */
+static inline gfp_t alloc_hugepage_direct_gfpmask(struct vm_area_struct *vma)
 {
-	return (GFP_TRANSHUGE & ~(defrag ? 0 : __GFP_RECLAIM)) | extra_gfp;
+	gfp_t reclaim_flags = 0;
+
+	if (test_bit(TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_REQ_MADV_FLAG, &transparent_hugepage_flags) &&
+	    (vma->vm_flags & VM_HUGEPAGE))
+		reclaim_flags = __GFP_DIRECT_RECLAIM;
+	else if (test_bit(TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_KSWAPD_FLAG, &transparent_hugepage_flags))
+		reclaim_flags = __GFP_KSWAPD_RECLAIM;
+	else if (test_bit(TRANSPARENT_HUGEPAGE_DEFRAG_DIRECT_FLAG, &transparent_hugepage_flags))
+		reclaim_flags = __GFP_DIRECT_RECLAIM;
+
+	return GFP_TRANSHUGE | reclaim_flags;
+}
+
+/* Defrag for khugepaged will enter direct reclaim/compaction if necessary */
+static inline gfp_t alloc_hugepage_khugepaged_gfpmask(void)
+{
+	return GFP_TRANSHUGE | (khugepaged_defrag() ? __GFP_DIRECT_RECLAIM : 0);
 }
 
 /* Caller must hold page table lock. */
@@ -919,7 +950,7 @@ int do_huge_pmd_anonymous_page(struct mm_struct *mm, struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 		}
 		return ret;
 	}
-	gfp = alloc_hugepage_gfpmask(transparent_hugepage_defrag(vma), 0);
+	gfp = alloc_hugepage_direct_gfpmask(vma);
 	page = alloc_hugepage_vma(gfp, vma, haddr, HPAGE_PMD_ORDER);
 	if (unlikely(!page)) {
 		count_vm_event(THP_FAULT_FALLBACK);
@@ -1279,7 +1310,7 @@ int do_huge_pmd_wp_page(struct mm_struct *mm, struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 alloc:
 	if (transparent_hugepage_enabled(vma) &&
 	    !transparent_hugepage_debug_cow()) {
-		huge_gfp = alloc_hugepage_gfpmask(transparent_hugepage_defrag(vma), 0);
+		huge_gfp = alloc_hugepage_direct_gfpmask(vma);
 		new_page = alloc_hugepage_vma(huge_gfp, vma, haddr, HPAGE_PMD_ORDER);
 	} else
 		new_page = NULL;
@@ -2249,11 +2280,12 @@ static int khugepaged_find_target_node(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static inline struct page *alloc_hugepage(int defrag)
+static inline struct page *alloc_khugepaged_hugepage(void)
 {
 	struct page *page;
 
-	page = alloc_pages(alloc_hugepage_gfpmask(defrag, 0), HPAGE_PMD_ORDER);
+	page = alloc_pages(alloc_hugepage_khugepaged_gfpmask(),
+			   HPAGE_PMD_ORDER);
 	if (page)
 		prep_transhuge_page(page);
 	return page;
@@ -2264,7 +2296,7 @@ static struct page *khugepaged_alloc_hugepage(bool *wait)
 	struct page *hpage;
 
 	do {
-		hpage = alloc_hugepage(khugepaged_defrag());
+		hpage = alloc_khugepaged_hugepage();
 		if (!hpage) {
 			count_vm_event(THP_COLLAPSE_ALLOC_FAILED);
 			if (!*wait)
@@ -2335,8 +2367,7 @@ static void collapse_huge_page(struct mm_struct *mm,
 	VM_BUG_ON(address & ~HPAGE_PMD_MASK);
 
 	/* Only allocate from the target node */
-	gfp = alloc_hugepage_gfpmask(khugepaged_defrag(), __GFP_OTHER_NODE) |
-		__GFP_THISNODE;
+	gfp = alloc_hugepage_khugepaged_gfpmask() | __GFP_OTHER_NODE | __GFP_THISNODE;
 
 	/* release the mmap_sem read lock. */
 	new_page = khugepaged_alloc_page(hpage, gfp, mm, address, node);
diff --git a/mm/page_alloc.c b/mm/page_alloc.c
index d156310aedeb..096a00d98a45 100644
--- a/mm/page_alloc.c
+++ b/mm/page_alloc.c
@@ -3119,14 +3119,6 @@ __alloc_pages_slowpath(gfp_t gfp_mask, unsigned int order,
 				(__GFP_ATOMIC|__GFP_DIRECT_RECLAIM)))
 		gfp_mask &= ~__GFP_ATOMIC;
 
-	/*
-	 * If this allocation cannot block and it is for a specific node, then
-	 * fail early.  There's no need to wakeup kswapd or retry for a
-	 * speculative node-specific allocation.
-	 */
-	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NUMA) && (gfp_mask & __GFP_THISNODE) && !can_direct_reclaim)
-		goto nopage;
-
 retry:
 	if (gfp_mask & __GFP_KSWAPD_RECLAIM)
 		wake_all_kswapds(order, ac);
diff --git a/mm/slab.c b/mm/slab.c
index 56dd0df2a8ce..e1f6c27c3db5 100644
--- a/mm/slab.c
+++ b/mm/slab.c
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ static inline void *____cache_alloc_node(struct kmem_cache *cachep,
 
 static inline gfp_t gfp_exact_node(gfp_t flags)
 {
-	return flags;
+	return flags & ~__GFP_NOFAIL;
 }
 
 #else	/* CONFIG_NUMA */
@@ -841,12 +841,12 @@ static inline int cache_free_alien(struct kmem_cache *cachep, void *objp)
 }
 
 /*
- * Construct gfp mask to allocate from a specific node but do not direct reclaim
- * or warn about failures. kswapd may still wake to reclaim in the background.
+ * Construct gfp mask to allocate from a specific node but do not reclaim or
+ * warn about failures.
  */
 static inline gfp_t gfp_exact_node(gfp_t flags)
 {
-	return (flags | __GFP_THISNODE | __GFP_NOWARN) & ~__GFP_DIRECT_RECLAIM;
+	return (flags | __GFP_THISNODE | __GFP_NOWARN) & ~(__GFP_RECLAIM|__GFP_NOFAIL);
 }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/mm/slub.c b/mm/slub.c
index 2f2f04d39104..64ed5f3a3046 100644
--- a/mm/slub.c
+++ b/mm/slub.c
@@ -1426,7 +1426,7 @@ static struct page *allocate_slab(struct kmem_cache *s, gfp_t flags, int node)
 	 */
 	alloc_gfp = (flags | __GFP_NOWARN | __GFP_NORETRY) & ~__GFP_NOFAIL;
 	if ((alloc_gfp & __GFP_DIRECT_RECLAIM) && oo_order(oo) > oo_order(s->min))
-		alloc_gfp = (alloc_gfp | __GFP_NOMEMALLOC) & ~__GFP_DIRECT_RECLAIM;
+		alloc_gfp = (alloc_gfp | __GFP_NOMEMALLOC) & ~(__GFP_RECLAIM|__GFP_NOFAIL);
 
 	page = alloc_slab_page(s, alloc_gfp, node, oo);
 	if (unlikely(!page)) {