diff --git a/mm/backing-dev.c b/mm/backing-dev.c
index fdae42306aa0..54ead106e38a 100644
--- a/mm/backing-dev.c
+++ b/mm/backing-dev.c
@@ -247,8 +247,8 @@ static int __init default_bdi_init(void)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	bdi_wq = alloc_workqueue("writeback", WQ_MEM_RECLAIM | WQ_UNBOUND |
-				 WQ_SYSFS, 0);
+	bdi_wq = alloc_workqueue("writeback", WQ_MEM_RECLAIM | WQ_FREEZABLE |
+					      WQ_UNBOUND | WQ_SYSFS, 0);
 	if (!bdi_wq)
 		return -ENOMEM;