diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_device.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_device.c
index 0e2dd691bdae9c..06d6db8b50f93f 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_device.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_device.c
@@ -350,7 +350,8 @@ struct xe_device *xe_device_create(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&xe->pinned.external_vram);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&xe->pinned.evicted);
 
-	xe->preempt_fence_wq = alloc_ordered_workqueue("xe-preempt-fence-wq", 0);
+	xe->preempt_fence_wq = alloc_ordered_workqueue("xe-preempt-fence-wq",
+						       WQ_MEM_RECLAIM);
 	xe->ordered_wq = alloc_ordered_workqueue("xe-ordered-wq", 0);
 	xe->unordered_wq = alloc_workqueue("xe-unordered-wq", 0, 0);
 	xe->destroy_wq = alloc_workqueue("xe-destroy-wq", 0, 0);