diff --git a/include/linux/compaction.h b/include/linux/compaction.h
index 2592883..72cba40 100644
--- a/include/linux/compaction.h
+++ b/include/linux/compaction.h
@@ -21,10 +21,11 @@
 
 extern int fragmentation_index(struct zone *zone, unsigned int order);
 extern unsigned long try_to_compact_pages(struct zonelist *zonelist,
-			int order, gfp_t gfp_mask, nodemask_t *mask);
+			int order, gfp_t gfp_mask, nodemask_t *mask,
+			bool sync);
 extern unsigned long compaction_suitable(struct zone *zone, int order);
 extern unsigned long compact_zone_order(struct zone *zone, int order,
-						gfp_t gfp_mask);
+						gfp_t gfp_mask, bool sync);
 
 /* Do not skip compaction more than 64 times */
 #define COMPACT_MAX_DEFER_SHIFT 6
@@ -57,7 +58,8 @@
 
 #else
 static inline unsigned long try_to_compact_pages(struct zonelist *zonelist,
-			int order, gfp_t gfp_mask, nodemask_t *nodemask)
+			int order, gfp_t gfp_mask, nodemask_t *nodemask,
+			bool sync)
 {
 	return COMPACT_CONTINUE;
 }
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@
 }
 
 static inline unsigned long compact_zone_order(struct zone *zone, int order,
-						gfp_t gfp_mask)
+						gfp_t gfp_mask, bool sync)
 {
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/migrate.h b/include/linux/migrate.h
index 085527f..fa31902 100644
--- a/include/linux/migrate.h
+++ b/include/linux/migrate.h
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@
 extern int migrate_page(struct address_space *,
 			struct page *, struct page *);
 extern int migrate_pages(struct list_head *l, new_page_t x,
-			unsigned long private, int offlining);
+			unsigned long private, int offlining,
+			bool sync);
 extern int migrate_huge_pages(struct list_head *l, new_page_t x,
-			unsigned long private, int offlining);
+			unsigned long private, int offlining,
+			bool sync);
 
 extern int fail_migrate_page(struct address_space *,
 			struct page *, struct page *);
@@ -33,9 +35,11 @@
 
 static inline void putback_lru_pages(struct list_head *l) {}
 static inline int migrate_pages(struct list_head *l, new_page_t x,
-		unsigned long private, int offlining) { return -ENOSYS; }
+		unsigned long private, int offlining,
+		bool sync) { return -ENOSYS; }
 static inline int migrate_huge_pages(struct list_head *l, new_page_t x,
-		unsigned long private, int offlining) { return -ENOSYS; }
+		unsigned long private, int offlining,
+		bool sync) { return -ENOSYS; }
 
 static inline int migrate_prep(void) { return -ENOSYS; }
 static inline int migrate_prep_local(void) { return -ENOSYS; }
diff --git a/mm/compaction.c b/mm/compaction.c
index 8fe917e..47fca10 100644
--- a/mm/compaction.c
+++ b/mm/compaction.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 	unsigned long nr_migratepages;	/* Number of pages to migrate */
 	unsigned long free_pfn;		/* isolate_freepages search base */
 	unsigned long migrate_pfn;	/* isolate_migratepages search base */
+	bool sync;			/* Synchronous migration */
 
 	/* Account for isolated anon and file pages */
 	unsigned long nr_anon;
@@ -455,7 +456,8 @@
 
 		nr_migrate = cc->nr_migratepages;
 		migrate_pages(&cc->migratepages, compaction_alloc,
-						(unsigned long)cc, 0);
+				(unsigned long)cc, 0,
+				cc->sync);
 		update_nr_listpages(cc);
 		nr_remaining = cc->nr_migratepages;
 
@@ -482,7 +484,8 @@
 }
 
 unsigned long compact_zone_order(struct zone *zone,
-						int order, gfp_t gfp_mask)
+						int order, gfp_t gfp_mask,
+						bool sync)
 {
 	struct compact_control cc = {
 		.nr_freepages = 0,
@@ -490,6 +493,7 @@
 		.order = order,
 		.migratetype = allocflags_to_migratetype(gfp_mask),
 		.zone = zone,
+		.sync = sync,
 	};
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&cc.freepages);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&cc.migratepages);
@@ -505,11 +509,13 @@
  * @order: The order of the current allocation
  * @gfp_mask: The GFP mask of the current allocation
  * @nodemask: The allowed nodes to allocate from
+ * @sync: Whether migration is synchronous or not
  *
  * This is the main entry point for direct page compaction.
  */
 unsigned long try_to_compact_pages(struct zonelist *zonelist,
-			int order, gfp_t gfp_mask, nodemask_t *nodemask)
+			int order, gfp_t gfp_mask, nodemask_t *nodemask,
+			bool sync)
 {
 	enum zone_type high_zoneidx = gfp_zone(gfp_mask);
 	int may_enter_fs = gfp_mask & __GFP_FS;
@@ -533,7 +539,7 @@
 								nodemask) {
 		int status;
 
-		status = compact_zone_order(zone, order, gfp_mask);
+		status = compact_zone_order(zone, order, gfp_mask, sync);
 		rc = max(status, rc);
 
 		/* If a normal allocation would succeed, stop compacting */
diff --git a/mm/memory-failure.c b/mm/memory-failure.c
index 46ab2c0..2323a80 100644
--- a/mm/memory-failure.c
+++ b/mm/memory-failure.c
@@ -1290,9 +1290,10 @@
 	/* Keep page count to indicate a given hugepage is isolated. */
 
 	list_add(&hpage->lru, &pagelist);
-	ret = migrate_huge_pages(&pagelist, new_page, MPOL_MF_MOVE_ALL, 0);
+	ret = migrate_huge_pages(&pagelist, new_page, MPOL_MF_MOVE_ALL, 0,
+				true);
 	if (ret) {
-			putback_lru_pages(&pagelist);
+		putback_lru_pages(&pagelist);
 		pr_debug("soft offline: %#lx: migration failed %d, type %lx\n",
 			 pfn, ret, page->flags);
 		if (ret > 0)
@@ -1413,7 +1414,8 @@
 		LIST_HEAD(pagelist);
 
 		list_add(&page->lru, &pagelist);
-		ret = migrate_pages(&pagelist, new_page, MPOL_MF_MOVE_ALL, 0);
+		ret = migrate_pages(&pagelist, new_page, MPOL_MF_MOVE_ALL,
+								0, true);
 		if (ret) {
 			pr_info("soft offline: %#lx: migration failed %d, type %lx\n",
 				pfn, ret, page->flags);
diff --git a/mm/memory_hotplug.c b/mm/memory_hotplug.c
index 2c6523a..584fc55 100644
--- a/mm/memory_hotplug.c
+++ b/mm/memory_hotplug.c
@@ -733,7 +733,8 @@
 			goto out;
 		}
 		/* this function returns # of failed pages */
-		ret = migrate_pages(&source, hotremove_migrate_alloc, 0, 1);
+		ret = migrate_pages(&source, hotremove_migrate_alloc, 0,
+								1, true);
 		if (ret)
 			putback_lru_pages(&source);
 	}
diff --git a/mm/mempolicy.c b/mm/mempolicy.c
index 11ff260..9db2745 100644
--- a/mm/mempolicy.c
+++ b/mm/mempolicy.c
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@
 		return PTR_ERR(vma);
 
 	if (!list_empty(&pagelist)) {
-		err = migrate_pages(&pagelist, new_node_page, dest, 0);
+		err = migrate_pages(&pagelist, new_node_page, dest, 0, true);
 		if (err)
 			putback_lru_pages(&pagelist);
 	}
@@ -1155,7 +1155,7 @@
 
 		if (!list_empty(&pagelist)) {
 			nr_failed = migrate_pages(&pagelist, new_vma_page,
-						(unsigned long)vma, 0);
+						(unsigned long)vma, 0, true);
 			if (nr_failed)
 				putback_lru_pages(&pagelist);
 		}
diff --git a/mm/migrate.c b/mm/migrate.c
index 94875b2..dc47f6c 100644
--- a/mm/migrate.c
+++ b/mm/migrate.c
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@
  * to the newly allocated page in newpage.
  */
 static int unmap_and_move(new_page_t get_new_page, unsigned long private,
-			struct page *page, int force, int offlining)
+			struct page *page, int force, int offlining, bool sync)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
 	int *result = NULL;
@@ -682,7 +682,7 @@
 	BUG_ON(charge);
 
 	if (PageWriteback(page)) {
-		if (!force)
+		if (!force || !sync)
 			goto uncharge;
 		wait_on_page_writeback(page);
 	}
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@
  */
 static int unmap_and_move_huge_page(new_page_t get_new_page,
 				unsigned long private, struct page *hpage,
-				int force, int offlining)
+				int force, int offlining, bool sync)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
 	int *result = NULL;
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@
 	rc = -EAGAIN;
 
 	if (!trylock_page(hpage)) {
-		if (!force)
+		if (!force || !sync)
 			goto out;
 		lock_page(hpage);
 	}
@@ -909,7 +909,8 @@
  * Return: Number of pages not migrated or error code.
  */
 int migrate_pages(struct list_head *from,
-		new_page_t get_new_page, unsigned long private, int offlining)
+		new_page_t get_new_page, unsigned long private, int offlining,
+		bool sync)
 {
 	int retry = 1;
 	int nr_failed = 0;
@@ -929,7 +930,8 @@
 			cond_resched();
 
 			rc = unmap_and_move(get_new_page, private,
-						page, pass > 2, offlining);
+						page, pass > 2, offlining,
+						sync);
 
 			switch(rc) {
 			case -ENOMEM:
@@ -958,7 +960,8 @@
 }
 
 int migrate_huge_pages(struct list_head *from,
-		new_page_t get_new_page, unsigned long private, int offlining)
+		new_page_t get_new_page, unsigned long private, int offlining,
+		bool sync)
 {
 	int retry = 1;
 	int nr_failed = 0;
@@ -974,7 +977,8 @@
 			cond_resched();
 
 			rc = unmap_and_move_huge_page(get_new_page,
-					private, page, pass > 2, offlining);
+					private, page, pass > 2, offlining,
+					sync);
 
 			switch(rc) {
 			case -ENOMEM:
@@ -1107,7 +1111,7 @@
 	err = 0;
 	if (!list_empty(&pagelist)) {
 		err = migrate_pages(&pagelist, new_page_node,
-				(unsigned long)pm, 0);
+				(unsigned long)pm, 0, true);
 		if (err)
 			putback_lru_pages(&pagelist);
 	}
diff --git a/mm/page_alloc.c b/mm/page_alloc.c
index 03a66a3..0fd4864 100644
--- a/mm/page_alloc.c
+++ b/mm/page_alloc.c
@@ -1812,7 +1812,8 @@
 __alloc_pages_direct_compact(gfp_t gfp_mask, unsigned int order,
 	struct zonelist *zonelist, enum zone_type high_zoneidx,
 	nodemask_t *nodemask, int alloc_flags, struct zone *preferred_zone,
-	int migratetype, unsigned long *did_some_progress)
+	int migratetype, unsigned long *did_some_progress,
+	bool sync_migration)
 {
 	struct page *page;
 	struct task_struct *tsk = current;
@@ -1822,7 +1823,7 @@
 
 	tsk->flags |= PF_MEMALLOC;
 	*did_some_progress = try_to_compact_pages(zonelist, order, gfp_mask,
-								nodemask);
+						nodemask, sync_migration);
 	tsk->flags &= ~PF_MEMALLOC;
 	if (*did_some_progress != COMPACT_SKIPPED) {
 
@@ -1859,7 +1860,8 @@
 __alloc_pages_direct_compact(gfp_t gfp_mask, unsigned int order,
 	struct zonelist *zonelist, enum zone_type high_zoneidx,
 	nodemask_t *nodemask, int alloc_flags, struct zone *preferred_zone,
-	int migratetype, unsigned long *did_some_progress)
+	int migratetype, unsigned long *did_some_progress,
+	bool sync_migration)
 {
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -2001,6 +2003,7 @@
 	unsigned long pages_reclaimed = 0;
 	unsigned long did_some_progress;
 	struct task_struct *p = current;
+	bool sync_migration = false;
 
 	/*
 	 * In the slowpath, we sanity check order to avoid ever trying to
@@ -2063,14 +2066,19 @@
 	if (test_thread_flag(TIF_MEMDIE) && !(gfp_mask & __GFP_NOFAIL))
 		goto nopage;
 
-	/* Try direct compaction */
+	/*
+	 * Try direct compaction. The first pass is asynchronous. Subsequent
+	 * attempts after direct reclaim are synchronous
+	 */
 	page = __alloc_pages_direct_compact(gfp_mask, order,
 					zonelist, high_zoneidx,
 					nodemask,
 					alloc_flags, preferred_zone,
-					migratetype, &did_some_progress);
+					migratetype, &did_some_progress,
+					sync_migration);
 	if (page)
 		goto got_pg;
+	sync_migration = true;
 
 	/* Try direct reclaim and then allocating */
 	page = __alloc_pages_direct_reclaim(gfp_mask, order,
@@ -2134,7 +2142,8 @@
 					zonelist, high_zoneidx,
 					nodemask,
 					alloc_flags, preferred_zone,
-					migratetype, &did_some_progress);
+					migratetype, &did_some_progress,
+					sync_migration);
 		if (page)
 			goto got_pg;
 	}
diff --git a/mm/vmscan.c b/mm/vmscan.c
index 10ebd74..8320d11 100644
--- a/mm/vmscan.c
+++ b/mm/vmscan.c
@@ -2377,7 +2377,8 @@
 			 * would ordinarily call try_to_compact_pages()
 			 */
 			if (sc.order > PAGE_ALLOC_COSTLY_ORDER)
-				compact_zone_order(zone, sc.order, sc.gfp_mask);
+				compact_zone_order(zone, sc.order, sc.gfp_mask,
+							false);
 
 			if (!zone_watermark_ok_safe(zone, order,
 					high_wmark_pages(zone), end_zone, 0)) {