diff --git a/mm/hugetlb.c b/mm/hugetlb.c
index 549bf5ac3d6e0..7a57e302338fa 100644
--- a/mm/hugetlb.c
+++ b/mm/hugetlb.c
@@ -1675,6 +1675,10 @@ static unsigned long set_max_huge_pages(struct hstate *h, unsigned long count,
 		 * and reducing the surplus.
 		 */
 		spin_unlock(&hugetlb_lock);
+
+		/* yield cpu to avoid soft lockup */
+		cond_resched();
+
 		if (hstate_is_gigantic(h))
 			ret = alloc_fresh_gigantic_page(h, nodes_allowed);
 		else