diff --git a/fs/eventpoll.c b/fs/eventpoll.c
index 5714e900567c..4b43bf41296d 100644
--- a/fs/eventpoll.c
+++ b/fs/eventpoll.c
@@ -226,6 +226,9 @@ struct eventpoll {
 	 */
 	refcount_t refcount;
 
+	/* used to defer freeing past ep_get_upwards_depth_proc() RCU walk */
+	struct rcu_head rcu;
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_RX_BUSY_POLL
 	/* used to track busy poll napi_id */
 	unsigned int napi_id;
@@ -819,7 +822,8 @@ static void ep_free(struct eventpoll *ep)
 	mutex_destroy(&ep->mtx);
 	free_uid(ep->user);
 	wakeup_source_unregister(ep->ws);
-	kfree(ep);
+	/* ep_get_upwards_depth_proc() may still hold epi->ep under RCU */
+	kfree_rcu(ep, rcu);
 }
 
 /*