diff --git a/Documentation/oops-tracing.txt b/Documentation/oops-tracing.txt
index e3155995ddd8..beefb9f82902 100644
--- a/Documentation/oops-tracing.txt
+++ b/Documentation/oops-tracing.txt
@@ -268,6 +268,8 @@ characters, each representing a particular tainted value.
  14: 'E' if an unsigned module has been loaded in a kernel supporting
      module signature.
 
+ 15: 'L' if a soft lockup has previously occurred on the system.
+
 The primary reason for the 'Tainted: ' string is to tell kernel
 debuggers if this is a clean kernel or if anything unusual has
 occurred.  Tainting is permanent: even if an offending module is
diff --git a/Documentation/sysctl/kernel.txt b/Documentation/sysctl/kernel.txt
index c14374e71775..f79eb9666379 100644
--- a/Documentation/sysctl/kernel.txt
+++ b/Documentation/sysctl/kernel.txt
@@ -826,6 +826,7 @@ can be ORed together:
 4096 - An out-of-tree module has been loaded.
 8192 - An unsigned module has been loaded in a kernel supporting module
        signature.
+16384 - A soft lockup has previously occurred on the system.
 
 ==============================================================
 
diff --git a/include/linux/kernel.h b/include/linux/kernel.h
index 3dc22abbc68a..31ae66f34235 100644
--- a/include/linux/kernel.h
+++ b/include/linux/kernel.h
@@ -470,6 +470,7 @@ extern enum system_states {
 #define TAINT_FIRMWARE_WORKAROUND	11
 #define TAINT_OOT_MODULE		12
 #define TAINT_UNSIGNED_MODULE		13
+#define TAINT_SOFTLOCKUP		14
 
 extern const char hex_asc[];
 #define hex_asc_lo(x)	hex_asc[((x) & 0x0f)]
diff --git a/kernel/panic.c b/kernel/panic.c
index 62e16cef9cc2..d09dc5c32c67 100644
--- a/kernel/panic.c
+++ b/kernel/panic.c
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ static const struct tnt tnts[] = {
 	{ TAINT_FIRMWARE_WORKAROUND,	'I', ' ' },
 	{ TAINT_OOT_MODULE,		'O', ' ' },
 	{ TAINT_UNSIGNED_MODULE,	'E', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_SOFTLOCKUP,		'L', ' ' },
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/kernel/watchdog.c b/kernel/watchdog.c
index 51b29e9d2ba6..a8d6914030fe 100644
--- a/kernel/watchdog.c
+++ b/kernel/watchdog.c
@@ -368,6 +368,7 @@ static enum hrtimer_restart watchdog_timer_fn(struct hrtimer *hrtimer)
 			smp_mb__after_atomic();
 		}
 
+		add_taint(TAINT_SOFTLOCKUP, LOCKDEP_STILL_OK);
 		if (softlockup_panic)
 			panic("softlockup: hung tasks");
 		__this_cpu_write(soft_watchdog_warn, true);