diff --git a/block/blk-core.c b/block/blk-core.c
index 151070541e21..3689319a5974 100644
--- a/block/blk-core.c
+++ b/block/blk-core.c
@@ -2606,7 +2606,9 @@ int __init blk_dev_init(void)
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(__REQ_NR_BITS > 8 *
 			sizeof(((struct request *)0)->cmd_flags));
 
-	kblockd_workqueue = create_workqueue("kblockd");
+	/* used for unplugging and affects IO latency/throughput - HIGHPRI */
+	kblockd_workqueue = alloc_workqueue("kblockd",
+					    WQ_MEM_RECLAIM | WQ_HIGHPRI, 0);
 	if (!kblockd_workqueue)
 		panic("Failed to create kblockd\n");