diff --git a/block/blk-cgroup.c b/block/blk-cgroup.c
index 204442fad33cfb71bd5b54236c8d3dc46998ea5b..0676cf7a41b51bad49c44358419b9dd8aeb312f7 100644
--- a/block/blk-cgroup.c
+++ b/block/blk-cgroup.c
@@ -1278,14 +1278,13 @@ int blkcg_init_queue(struct request_queue *q)
 	preloaded = !radix_tree_preload(GFP_KERNEL);
 
 	/* Make sure the root blkg exists. */
-	rcu_read_lock();
+	/* spin_lock_irq can serve as RCU read-side critical section. */
 	spin_lock_irq(&q->queue_lock);
 	blkg = blkg_create(&blkcg_root, q, new_blkg);
 	if (IS_ERR(blkg))
 		goto err_unlock;
 	q->root_blkg = blkg;
 	spin_unlock_irq(&q->queue_lock);
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 
 	if (preloaded)
 		radix_tree_preload_end();
@@ -1311,7 +1310,6 @@ int blkcg_init_queue(struct request_queue *q)
 	return ret;
 err_unlock:
 	spin_unlock_irq(&q->queue_lock);
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 	if (preloaded)
 		radix_tree_preload_end();
 	return PTR_ERR(blkg);