diff --git a/include/linux/memcontrol.h b/include/linux/memcontrol.h
index 4b78661c68d0..d8dd6560621b 100644
--- a/include/linux/memcontrol.h
+++ b/include/linux/memcontrol.h
@@ -180,7 +180,8 @@ static inline void mem_cgroup_dec_page_stat(struct page *page,
 	mem_cgroup_update_page_stat(page, idx, -1);
 }
 
-bool mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(struct mem_cgroup *memcg);
+bool mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(struct mem_cgroup *memcg,
+		struct mem_cgroup *root);
 
 void __mem_cgroup_count_vm_event(struct mm_struct *mm, enum vm_event_item idx);
 static inline void mem_cgroup_count_vm_event(struct mm_struct *mm,
@@ -357,7 +358,8 @@ static inline void mem_cgroup_dec_page_stat(struct page *page,
 }
 
 static inline
-bool mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(struct mem_cgroup *memcg)
+bool mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(struct mem_cgroup *memcg,
+		struct mem_cgroup *root)
 {
 	return false;
 }
diff --git a/mm/memcontrol.c b/mm/memcontrol.c
index 87a448dd9c10..c016e001c5b2 100644
--- a/mm/memcontrol.c
+++ b/mm/memcontrol.c
@@ -1773,11 +1773,13 @@ int mem_cgroup_select_victim_node(struct mem_cgroup *memcg)
 #endif
 
 /*
- * A group is eligible for the soft limit reclaim if it is
- * 	a) is over its soft limit
+ * A group is eligible for the soft limit reclaim under the given root
+ * hierarchy if
+ * 	a) it is over its soft limit
  * 	b) any parent up the hierarchy is over its soft limit
  */
-bool mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(struct mem_cgroup *memcg)
+bool mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(struct mem_cgroup *memcg,
+		struct mem_cgroup *root)
 {
 	struct mem_cgroup *parent = memcg;
 
@@ -1785,12 +1787,14 @@ bool mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(struct mem_cgroup *memcg)
 		return true;
 
 	/*
-	 * If any parent up the hierarchy is over its soft limit then we
-	 * have to obey and reclaim from this group as well.
+	 * If any parent up to the root in the hierarchy is over its soft limit
+	 * then we have to obey and reclaim from this group as well.
 	 */
 	while((parent = parent_mem_cgroup(parent))) {
 		if (res_counter_soft_limit_excess(&parent->res))
 			return true;
+		if (parent == root)
+			break;
 	}
 
 	return false;
diff --git a/mm/vmscan.c b/mm/vmscan.c
index cf4643807ec2..1896e7ca494b 100644
--- a/mm/vmscan.c
+++ b/mm/vmscan.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ static bool global_reclaim(struct scan_control *sc)
 
 static bool mem_cgroup_should_soft_reclaim(struct scan_control *sc)
 {
-	return !mem_cgroup_disabled() && global_reclaim(sc);
+	return !mem_cgroup_disabled();
 }
 #else
 static bool global_reclaim(struct scan_control *sc)
@@ -2161,7 +2161,7 @@ __shrink_zone(struct zone *zone, struct scan_control *sc, bool soft_reclaim)
 			struct lruvec *lruvec;
 
 			if (soft_reclaim &&
-			    !mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(memcg)) {
+			    !mem_cgroup_soft_reclaim_eligible(memcg, root)) {
 				memcg = mem_cgroup_iter(root, memcg, &reclaim);
 				continue;
 			}