diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index d02073b9d56e..fdf5fa4bf444 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -850,8 +850,17 @@ void wq_worker_running(struct task_struct *task)
 
 	if (!worker->sleeping)
 		return;
+
+	/*
+	 * If preempted by unbind_workers() between the WORKER_NOT_RUNNING check
+	 * and the nr_running increment below, we may ruin the nr_running reset
+	 * and leave with an unexpected pool->nr_running == 1 on the newly unbound
+	 * pool. Protect against such race.
+	 */
+	preempt_disable();
 	if (!(worker->flags & WORKER_NOT_RUNNING))
 		atomic_inc(&worker->pool->nr_running);
+	preempt_enable();
 	worker->sleeping = 0;
 }