diff --git a/Documentation/core-api/memory-allocation.rst b/Documentation/core-api/memory-allocation.rst
index 1c58d883b273065d2c054cc3d1a4f3d3e265b130..e8c4a1a8ab448f325250d6303d45f13033de842a 100644
--- a/Documentation/core-api/memory-allocation.rst
+++ b/Documentation/core-api/memory-allocation.rst
@@ -45,8 +45,9 @@ here we briefly outline their recommended usage:
   * If the allocation is performed from an atomic context, e.g interrupt
     handler, use ``GFP_NOWAIT``. This flag prevents direct reclaim and
     IO or filesystem operations. Consequently, under memory pressure
-    ``GFP_NOWAIT`` allocation is likely to fail. Allocations which
-    have a reasonable fallback should be using ``GFP_NOWARN``.
+    ``GFP_NOWAIT`` allocation is likely to fail. Users of this flag need
+    to provide a suitable fallback to cope with such failures where
+    appropriate.
   * If you think that accessing memory reserves is justified and the kernel
     will be stressed unless allocation succeeds, you may use ``GFP_ATOMIC``.
   * Untrusted allocations triggered from userspace should be a subject
diff --git a/include/linux/gfp_types.h b/include/linux/gfp_types.h
index 435a5a8a301e0d5be6a529ae20347116d6b8e4dd..af4015bc1b3f6281be8ecef1893a4689de5c93d4 100644
--- a/include/linux/gfp_types.h
+++ b/include/linux/gfp_types.h
@@ -283,7 +283,8 @@ typedef unsigned int __bitwise gfp_t;
  * accounted to kmemcg.
  *
  * %GFP_NOWAIT is for kernel allocations that should not stall for direct
- * reclaim, start physical IO or use any filesystem callback.
+ * reclaim, start physical IO or use any filesystem callback.  It is very
+ * likely to fail to allocate memory, even for very small allocations.
  *
  * %GFP_NOIO will use direct reclaim to discard clean pages or slab pages
  * that do not require the starting of any physical IO.
@@ -334,7 +335,7 @@ typedef unsigned int __bitwise gfp_t;
 #define GFP_ATOMIC	(__GFP_HIGH|__GFP_KSWAPD_RECLAIM)
 #define GFP_KERNEL	(__GFP_RECLAIM | __GFP_IO | __GFP_FS)
 #define GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT (GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_ACCOUNT)
-#define GFP_NOWAIT	(__GFP_KSWAPD_RECLAIM)
+#define GFP_NOWAIT	(__GFP_KSWAPD_RECLAIM | __GFP_NOWARN)
 #define GFP_NOIO	(__GFP_RECLAIM)
 #define GFP_NOFS	(__GFP_RECLAIM | __GFP_IO)
 #define GFP_USER	(__GFP_RECLAIM | __GFP_IO | __GFP_FS | __GFP_HARDWALL)