diff --git a/mm/mempolicy.c b/mm/mempolicy.c
index 643f66e101878015cbea8b3dc9ac1eb948d2d702..745ce90308a6c89d5bc823339c7e6a8f69f90332 100644
--- a/mm/mempolicy.c
+++ b/mm/mempolicy.c
@@ -2215,10 +2215,15 @@ int mpol_parse_str(char *str, struct mempolicy **mpol, int no_context)
 			goto out;
 		mode = MPOL_PREFERRED;
 		break;
-
+	case MPOL_DEFAULT:
+		/*
+		 * Insist on a empty nodelist
+		 */
+		if (!nodelist)
+			err = 0;
+		goto out;
 	/*
 	 * case MPOL_BIND:    mpol_new() enforces non-empty nodemask.
-	 * case MPOL_DEFAULT: mpol_new() enforces empty nodemask, ignores flags.
 	 */
 	}