diff --git a/mm/memcontrol.c b/mm/memcontrol.c
index c265212bec8c..66beca1ad92f 100644
--- a/mm/memcontrol.c
+++ b/mm/memcontrol.c
@@ -2559,6 +2559,15 @@ unsigned long mem_cgroup_soft_limit_reclaim(pg_data_t *pgdat, int order,
 		return 0;
 
 	mctz = soft_limit_tree_node(pgdat->node_id);
+
+	/*
+	 * Do not even bother to check the largest node if the root
+	 * is empty. Do it lockless to prevent lock bouncing. Races
+	 * are acceptable as soft limit is best effort anyway.
+	 */
+	if (RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&mctz->rb_root))
+		return 0;
+
 	/*
 	 * This loop can run a while, specially if mem_cgroup's continuously
 	 * keep exceeding their soft limit and putting the system under