diff --git a/net/smc/af_smc.c b/net/smc/af_smc.c
index 9f3e148..f5becec 100644
--- a/net/smc/af_smc.c
+++ b/net/smc/af_smc.c
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ static DEFINE_MUTEX(smc_client_lgr_pending);	/* serialize link group
 						 * creation on client
 						 */
 
+struct workqueue_struct	*smc_hs_wq;	/* wq for handshake work */
+struct workqueue_struct	*smc_close_wq;	/* wq for close work */
+
 static void smc_tcp_listen_work(struct work_struct *);
 static void smc_connect_work(struct work_struct *);
 
@@ -905,7 +908,7 @@ static int smc_connect(struct socket *sock, struct sockaddr *addr,
 	if (smc->use_fallback)
 		goto out;
 	if (flags & O_NONBLOCK) {
-		if (schedule_work(&smc->connect_work))
+		if (queue_work(smc_hs_wq, &smc->connect_work))
 			smc->connect_nonblock = 1;
 		rc = -EINPROGRESS;
 	} else {
@@ -1412,7 +1415,7 @@ static void smc_tcp_listen_work(struct work_struct *work)
 		new_smc->sk.sk_sndbuf = lsmc->sk.sk_sndbuf;
 		new_smc->sk.sk_rcvbuf = lsmc->sk.sk_rcvbuf;
 		sock_hold(&new_smc->sk); /* sock_put in passive closing */
-		if (!schedule_work(&new_smc->smc_listen_work))
+		if (!queue_work(smc_hs_wq, &new_smc->smc_listen_work))
 			sock_put(&new_smc->sk);
 	}
 
@@ -1432,7 +1435,7 @@ static void smc_clcsock_data_ready(struct sock *listen_clcsock)
 	lsmc->clcsk_data_ready(listen_clcsock);
 	if (lsmc->sk.sk_state == SMC_LISTEN) {
 		sock_hold(&lsmc->sk); /* sock_put in smc_tcp_listen_work() */
-		if (!schedule_work(&lsmc->tcp_listen_work))
+		if (!queue_work(smc_hs_wq, &lsmc->tcp_listen_work))
 			sock_put(&lsmc->sk);
 	}
 }
@@ -1800,8 +1803,8 @@ static int smc_setsockopt(struct socket *sock, int level, int optname,
 		    sk->sk_state != SMC_LISTEN &&
 		    sk->sk_state != SMC_CLOSED) {
 			if (val)
-				mod_delayed_work(system_wq, &smc->conn.tx_work,
-						 0);
+				mod_delayed_work(smc->conn.lgr->tx_wq,
+						 &smc->conn.tx_work, 0);
 		}
 		break;
 	case TCP_CORK:
@@ -1809,8 +1812,8 @@ static int smc_setsockopt(struct socket *sock, int level, int optname,
 		    sk->sk_state != SMC_LISTEN &&
 		    sk->sk_state != SMC_CLOSED) {
 			if (!val)
-				mod_delayed_work(system_wq, &smc->conn.tx_work,
-						 0);
+				mod_delayed_work(smc->conn.lgr->tx_wq,
+						 &smc->conn.tx_work, 0);
 		}
 		break;
 	case TCP_DEFER_ACCEPT:
@@ -2093,10 +2096,19 @@ static int __init smc_init(void)
 	if (rc)
 		goto out_pernet_subsys;
 
+	rc = -ENOMEM;
+	smc_hs_wq = alloc_workqueue("smc_hs_wq", 0, 0);
+	if (!smc_hs_wq)
+		goto out_pnet;
+
+	smc_close_wq = alloc_workqueue("smc_close_wq", 0, 0);
+	if (!smc_close_wq)
+		goto out_alloc_hs_wq;
+
 	rc = smc_core_init();
 	if (rc) {
 		pr_err("%s: smc_core_init fails with %d\n", __func__, rc);
-		goto out_pnet;
+		goto out_alloc_wqs;
 	}
 
 	rc = smc_llc_init();
@@ -2148,6 +2160,10 @@ static int __init smc_init(void)
 	proto_unregister(&smc_proto);
 out_core:
 	smc_core_exit();
+out_alloc_wqs:
+	destroy_workqueue(smc_close_wq);
+out_alloc_hs_wq:
+	destroy_workqueue(smc_hs_wq);
 out_pnet:
 	smc_pnet_exit();
 out_pernet_subsys:
@@ -2162,6 +2178,8 @@ static void __exit smc_exit(void)
 	sock_unregister(PF_SMC);
 	smc_core_exit();
 	smc_ib_unregister_client();
+	destroy_workqueue(smc_close_wq);
+	destroy_workqueue(smc_hs_wq);
 	proto_unregister(&smc_proto6);
 	proto_unregister(&smc_proto);
 	smc_pnet_exit();
diff --git a/net/smc/smc.h b/net/smc/smc.h
index 356f395..2bd57e5 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc.h
+++ b/net/smc/smc.h
@@ -239,6 +239,9 @@ static inline struct smc_sock *smc_sk(const struct sock *sk)
 	return (struct smc_sock *)sk;
 }
 
+extern struct workqueue_struct	*smc_hs_wq;	/* wq for handshake work */
+extern struct workqueue_struct	*smc_close_wq;	/* wq for close work */
+
 #define SMC_SYSTEMID_LEN		8
 
 extern u8	local_systemid[SMC_SYSTEMID_LEN]; /* unique system identifier */
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_cdc.c b/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
index ce468ff..b1ce6cc 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_cdc.c
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ static void smc_cdc_msg_validate(struct smc_sock *smc, struct smc_cdc_msg *cdc,
 		conn->lnk = link;
 		spin_unlock_bh(&conn->send_lock);
 		sock_hold(&smc->sk); /* sock_put in abort_work */
-		if (!schedule_work(&conn->abort_work))
+		if (!queue_work(smc_close_wq, &conn->abort_work))
 			sock_put(&smc->sk);
 	}
 }
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ static void smc_cdc_msg_recv_action(struct smc_sock *smc,
 			smc->clcsock->sk->sk_shutdown |= RCV_SHUTDOWN;
 		sock_set_flag(&smc->sk, SOCK_DONE);
 		sock_hold(&smc->sk); /* sock_put in close_work */
-		if (!schedule_work(&conn->close_work))
+		if (!queue_work(smc_close_wq, &conn->close_work))
 			sock_put(&smc->sk);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.c b/net/smc/smc_core.c
index e871183..c811ae1 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.c
@@ -386,6 +386,12 @@ static int smc_lgr_create(struct smc_sock *smc, struct smc_init_info *ini)
 		rc = SMC_CLC_DECL_MEM;
 		goto ism_put_vlan;
 	}
+	lgr->tx_wq = alloc_workqueue("smc_tx_wq-%*phN", 0, 0,
+				     SMC_LGR_ID_SIZE, &lgr->id);
+	if (!lgr->tx_wq) {
+		rc = -ENOMEM;
+		goto free_lgr;
+	}
 	lgr->is_smcd = ini->is_smcd;
 	lgr->sync_err = 0;
 	lgr->terminating = 0;
@@ -426,7 +432,7 @@ static int smc_lgr_create(struct smc_sock *smc, struct smc_init_info *ini)
 		lnk = &lgr->lnk[link_idx];
 		rc = smcr_link_init(lgr, lnk, link_idx, ini);
 		if (rc)
-			goto free_lgr;
+			goto free_wq;
 		lgr_list = &smc_lgr_list.list;
 		lgr_lock = &smc_lgr_list.lock;
 		atomic_inc(&lgr_cnt);
@@ -437,6 +443,8 @@ static int smc_lgr_create(struct smc_sock *smc, struct smc_init_info *ini)
 	spin_unlock_bh(lgr_lock);
 	return 0;
 
+free_wq:
+	destroy_workqueue(lgr->tx_wq);
 free_lgr:
 	kfree(lgr);
 ism_put_vlan:
@@ -506,7 +514,7 @@ static int smc_switch_cursor(struct smc_sock *smc, struct smc_cdc_tx_pend *pend,
 	    smc->sk.sk_state != SMC_CLOSED) {
 		rc = smcr_cdc_msg_send_validation(conn, pend, wr_buf);
 		if (!rc) {
-			schedule_delayed_work(&conn->tx_work, 0);
+			queue_delayed_work(conn->lgr->tx_wq, &conn->tx_work, 0);
 			smc->sk.sk_data_ready(&smc->sk);
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -813,6 +821,7 @@ static void smc_lgr_free(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 	}
 
 	smc_lgr_free_bufs(lgr);
+	destroy_workqueue(lgr->tx_wq);
 	if (lgr->is_smcd) {
 		smc_ism_put_vlan(lgr->smcd, lgr->vlan_id);
 		put_device(&lgr->smcd->dev);
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.h b/net/smc/smc_core.h
index 3fe985d..37a5903 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.h
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.h
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ struct smc_link_group {
 	u8			id[SMC_LGR_ID_SIZE];	/* unique lgr id */
 	struct delayed_work	free_work;	/* delayed freeing of an lgr */
 	struct work_struct	terminate_work;	/* abnormal lgr termination */
+	struct workqueue_struct	*tx_wq;		/* wq for conn. tx workers */
 	u8			sync_err : 1;	/* lgr no longer fits to peer */
 	u8			terminating : 1;/* lgr is terminating */
 	u8			freeing : 1;	/* lgr is being freed */
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_llc.c b/net/smc/smc_llc.c
index 3ea3346..2db967f 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_llc.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_llc.c
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ static void smc_llc_enqueue(struct smc_link *link, union smc_llc_msg *llc)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&lgr->llc_event_q_lock, flags);
 	list_add_tail(&qentry->list, &lgr->llc_event_q);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&lgr->llc_event_q_lock, flags);
-	schedule_work(&lgr->llc_event_work);
+	queue_work(system_highpri_wq, &lgr->llc_event_work);
 }
 
 /* copy received msg and add it to the event queue */
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_tx.c b/net/smc/smc_tx.c
index 54ba044..4532c16 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_tx.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_tx.c
@@ -228,8 +228,8 @@ int smc_tx_sendmsg(struct smc_sock *smc, struct msghdr *msg, size_t len)
 			/* for a corked socket defer the RDMA writes if there
 			 * is still sufficient sndbuf_space available
 			 */
-			schedule_delayed_work(&conn->tx_work,
-					      SMC_TX_CORK_DELAY);
+			queue_delayed_work(conn->lgr->tx_wq, &conn->tx_work,
+					   SMC_TX_CORK_DELAY);
 		else
 			smc_tx_sndbuf_nonempty(conn);
 	} /* while (msg_data_left(msg)) */
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ static int smcr_tx_sndbuf_nonempty(struct smc_connection *conn)
 			if (conn->killed)
 				return -EPIPE;
 			rc = 0;
-			mod_delayed_work(system_wq, &conn->tx_work,
+			mod_delayed_work(conn->lgr->tx_wq, &conn->tx_work,
 					 SMC_TX_WORK_DELAY);
 		}
 		return rc;
@@ -623,8 +623,8 @@ void smc_tx_consumer_update(struct smc_connection *conn, bool force)
 			return;
 		if ((smc_cdc_get_slot_and_msg_send(conn) < 0) &&
 		    !conn->killed) {
-			schedule_delayed_work(&conn->tx_work,
-					      SMC_TX_WORK_DELAY);
+			queue_delayed_work(conn->lgr->tx_wq, &conn->tx_work,
+					   SMC_TX_WORK_DELAY);
 			return;
 		}
 	}