diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/setup_32.c b/arch/x86/kernel/setup_32.c
index 2c5f8b213e868658d8ad189bb925151dea3bc7b1..5a2f8e0638875a348fcf415bef070fbece342fa5 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/setup_32.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/setup_32.c
@@ -532,10 +532,16 @@ static void __init reserve_crashkernel(void)
 					(unsigned long)(crash_size >> 20),
 					(unsigned long)(crash_base >> 20),
 					(unsigned long)(total_mem >> 20));
+
+			if (reserve_bootmem(crash_base, crash_size,
+					BOOTMEM_EXCLUSIVE) < 0) {
+				printk(KERN_INFO "crashkernel reservation "
+					"failed - memory is in use\n");
+				return;
+			}
+
 			crashk_res.start = crash_base;
 			crashk_res.end   = crash_base + crash_size - 1;
-			reserve_bootmem(crash_base, crash_size,
-					BOOTMEM_DEFAULT);
 		} else
 			printk(KERN_INFO "crashkernel reservation failed - "
 					"you have to specify a base address\n");