diff --git a/fs/io-wq.c b/fs/io-wq.c
index 965022f..1d01eda 100644
--- a/fs/io-wq.c
+++ b/fs/io-wq.c
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ struct io_wq {
 	refcount_t refs;
 	struct completion done;
 
+	atomic_t worker_refs;
+	struct completion worker_done;
+
 	struct hlist_node cpuhp_node;
 
 	pid_t task_pid;
@@ -189,7 +192,8 @@ static void io_worker_exit(struct io_worker *worker)
 	raw_spin_unlock_irq(&wqe->lock);
 
 	kfree_rcu(worker, rcu);
-	io_wq_put(wqe->wq);
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&wqe->wq->worker_refs))
+		complete(&wqe->wq->worker_done);
 }
 
 static inline bool io_wqe_run_queue(struct io_wqe *wqe)
@@ -648,14 +652,15 @@ static bool create_io_worker(struct io_wq *wq, struct io_wqe *wqe, int index)
 	init_completion(&worker->ref_done);
 	init_completion(&worker->started);
 
-	refcount_inc(&wq->refs);
+	atomic_inc(&wq->worker_refs);
 
 	if (index == IO_WQ_ACCT_BOUND)
 		pid = io_wq_fork_thread(task_thread_bound, worker);
 	else
 		pid = io_wq_fork_thread(task_thread_unbound, worker);
 	if (pid < 0) {
-		io_wq_put(wq);
+		if (atomic_dec_and_test(&wq->worker_refs))
+			complete(&wq->worker_done);
 		kfree(worker);
 		return false;
 	}
@@ -736,6 +741,7 @@ static int io_wq_manager(void *data)
 {
 	struct io_wq *wq = data;
 	char buf[TASK_COMM_LEN];
+	int node;
 
 	sprintf(buf, "iou-mgr-%d", wq->task_pid);
 	set_task_comm(current, buf);
@@ -753,6 +759,15 @@ static int io_wq_manager(void *data)
 	} while (!test_bit(IO_WQ_BIT_EXIT, &wq->state));
 
 	io_wq_check_workers(wq);
+
+	rcu_read_lock();
+	for_each_node(node)
+		io_wq_for_each_worker(wq->wqes[node], io_wq_worker_wake, NULL);
+	rcu_read_unlock();
+
+	/* we might not ever have created any workers */
+	if (atomic_read(&wq->worker_refs))
+		wait_for_completion(&wq->worker_done);
 	wq->manager = NULL;
 	io_wq_put(wq);
 	do_exit(0);
@@ -796,6 +811,7 @@ static int io_wq_fork_manager(struct io_wq *wq)
 	if (wq->manager)
 		return 0;
 
+	reinit_completion(&wq->worker_done);
 	clear_bit(IO_WQ_BIT_EXIT, &wq->state);
 	refcount_inc(&wq->refs);
 	current->flags |= PF_IO_WORKER;
@@ -1050,6 +1066,9 @@ struct io_wq *io_wq_create(unsigned bounded, struct io_wq_data *data)
 	init_completion(&wq->done);
 	refcount_set(&wq->refs, 1);
 
+	init_completion(&wq->worker_done);
+	atomic_set(&wq->worker_refs, 0);
+
 	ret = io_wq_fork_manager(wq);
 	if (!ret)
 		return wq;
@@ -1077,11 +1096,6 @@ static void io_wq_destroy(struct io_wq *wq)
 	if (wq->manager)
 		wake_up_process(wq->manager);
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
-	for_each_node(node)
-		io_wq_for_each_worker(wq->wqes[node], io_wq_worker_wake, NULL);
-	rcu_read_unlock();
-
 	spin_lock_irq(&wq->hash->wait.lock);
 	for_each_node(node) {
 		struct io_wqe *wqe = wq->wqes[node];