diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
index b114b57af0c3..b7a6b223b1a5 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ static void pblk_mark_bb(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
 		pr_err("pblk: attempted to erase bb: line:%d, pos:%d\n",
 							line->id, pos);
 
-	pblk_line_run_ws(pblk, NULL, ppa, pblk_line_mark_bb, pblk->bb_wq);
+	pblk_gen_run_ws(pblk, NULL, ppa, pblk_line_mark_bb,
+						GFP_ATOMIC, pblk->bb_wq);
 }
 
 static void __pblk_end_io_erase(struct pblk *pblk, struct nvm_rq *rqd)
@@ -1627,7 +1628,7 @@ void pblk_line_close_ws(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct pblk_line *line = line_ws->line;
 
 	pblk_line_close(pblk, line);
-	mempool_free(line_ws, pblk->line_ws_pool);
+	mempool_free(line_ws, pblk->gen_ws_pool);
 }
 
 void pblk_line_mark_bb(struct work_struct *work)
@@ -1652,16 +1653,16 @@ void pblk_line_mark_bb(struct work_struct *work)
 	}
 
 	kfree(ppa);
-	mempool_free(line_ws, pblk->line_ws_pool);
+	mempool_free(line_ws, pblk->gen_ws_pool);
 }
 
-void pblk_line_run_ws(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line, void *priv,
-		      void (*work)(struct work_struct *),
+void pblk_gen_run_ws(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line, void *priv,
+		      void (*work)(struct work_struct *), gfp_t gfp_mask,
 		      struct workqueue_struct *wq)
 {
 	struct pblk_line_ws *line_ws;
 
-	line_ws = mempool_alloc(pblk->line_ws_pool, GFP_ATOMIC);
+	line_ws = mempool_alloc(pblk->gen_ws_pool, gfp_mask);
 	if (!line_ws)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
index 6090d28f7995..f163829ecca8 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
@@ -136,12 +136,12 @@ static void pblk_put_line_back(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
 
 static void pblk_gc_line_ws(struct work_struct *work)
 {
-	struct pblk_line_ws *line_rq_ws = container_of(work,
+	struct pblk_line_ws *gc_rq_ws = container_of(work,
 						struct pblk_line_ws, ws);
-	struct pblk *pblk = line_rq_ws->pblk;
+	struct pblk *pblk = gc_rq_ws->pblk;
 	struct pblk_gc *gc = &pblk->gc;
-	struct pblk_line *line = line_rq_ws->line;
-	struct pblk_gc_rq *gc_rq = line_rq_ws->priv;
+	struct pblk_line *line = gc_rq_ws->line;
+	struct pblk_gc_rq *gc_rq = gc_rq_ws->priv;
 
 	up(&gc->gc_sem);
 
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static void pblk_gc_line_ws(struct work_struct *work)
 						gc_rq->nr_secs);
 	}
 
-	mempool_free(line_rq_ws, pblk->line_ws_pool);
+	kfree(gc_rq_ws);
 }
 
 static void pblk_gc_line_prepare_ws(struct work_struct *work)
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ static void pblk_gc_line_prepare_ws(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct pblk_line_meta *lm = &pblk->lm;
 	struct pblk_gc *gc = &pblk->gc;
 	struct line_emeta *emeta_buf;
-	struct pblk_line_ws *line_rq_ws;
+	struct pblk_line_ws *gc_rq_ws;
 	struct pblk_gc_rq *gc_rq;
 	__le64 *lba_list;
 	int sec_left, nr_secs, bit;
@@ -223,19 +223,19 @@ static void pblk_gc_line_prepare_ws(struct work_struct *work)
 	gc_rq->nr_secs = nr_secs;
 	gc_rq->line = line;
 
-	line_rq_ws = mempool_alloc(pblk->line_ws_pool, GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!line_rq_ws)
+	gc_rq_ws = kmalloc(sizeof(struct pblk_line_ws), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!gc_rq_ws)
 		goto fail_free_gc_rq;
 
-	line_rq_ws->pblk = pblk;
-	line_rq_ws->line = line;
-	line_rq_ws->priv = gc_rq;
+	gc_rq_ws->pblk = pblk;
+	gc_rq_ws->line = line;
+	gc_rq_ws->priv = gc_rq;
 
 	down(&gc->gc_sem);
 	kref_get(&line->ref);
 
-	INIT_WORK(&line_rq_ws->ws, pblk_gc_line_ws);
-	queue_work(gc->gc_line_reader_wq, &line_rq_ws->ws);
+	INIT_WORK(&gc_rq_ws->ws, pblk_gc_line_ws);
+	queue_work(gc->gc_line_reader_wq, &gc_rq_ws->ws);
 
 	sec_left -= nr_secs;
 	if (sec_left > 0)
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ static void pblk_gc_line_prepare_ws(struct work_struct *work)
 
 out:
 	pblk_mfree(emeta_buf, l_mg->emeta_alloc_type);
-	mempool_free(line_ws, pblk->line_ws_pool);
+	kfree(line_ws);
 
 	kref_put(&line->ref, pblk_line_put);
 	atomic_dec(&gc->inflight_gc);
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ static void pblk_gc_line_prepare_ws(struct work_struct *work)
 	pblk_mfree(emeta_buf, l_mg->emeta_alloc_type);
 	pblk_put_line_back(pblk, line);
 	kref_put(&line->ref, pblk_line_put);
-	mempool_free(line_ws, pblk->line_ws_pool);
+	kfree(line_ws);
 	atomic_dec(&gc->inflight_gc);
 
 	pr_err("pblk: Failed to GC line %d\n", line->id);
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ static int pblk_gc_line(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
 
 	pr_debug("pblk: line '%d' being reclaimed for GC\n", line->id);
 
-	line_ws = mempool_alloc(pblk->line_ws_pool, GFP_KERNEL);
+	line_ws = kmalloc(sizeof(struct pblk_line_ws), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!line_ws)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-init.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-init.c
index 19cb1906a56a..0c65abb96dc6 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-init.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-init.c
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "pblk.h"
 
-static struct kmem_cache *pblk_blk_ws_cache, *pblk_rec_cache, *pblk_g_rq_cache,
+static struct kmem_cache *pblk_ws_cache, *pblk_rec_cache, *pblk_g_rq_cache,
 				*pblk_w_rq_cache, *pblk_line_meta_cache;
 static DECLARE_RWSEM(pblk_lock);
 struct bio_set *pblk_bio_set;
@@ -184,9 +184,9 @@ static int pblk_init_global_caches(struct pblk *pblk)
 	char cache_name[PBLK_CACHE_NAME_LEN];
 
 	down_write(&pblk_lock);
-	pblk_blk_ws_cache = kmem_cache_create("pblk_blk_ws",
+	pblk_ws_cache = kmem_cache_create("pblk_blk_ws",
 				sizeof(struct pblk_line_ws), 0, 0, NULL);
-	if (!pblk_blk_ws_cache) {
+	if (!pblk_ws_cache) {
 		up_write(&pblk_lock);
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ static int pblk_init_global_caches(struct pblk *pblk)
 	pblk_rec_cache = kmem_cache_create("pblk_rec",
 				sizeof(struct pblk_rec_ctx), 0, 0, NULL);
 	if (!pblk_rec_cache) {
-		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_blk_ws_cache);
+		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_ws_cache);
 		up_write(&pblk_lock);
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static int pblk_init_global_caches(struct pblk *pblk)
 	pblk_g_rq_cache = kmem_cache_create("pblk_g_rq", pblk_g_rq_size,
 				0, 0, NULL);
 	if (!pblk_g_rq_cache) {
-		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_blk_ws_cache);
+		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_ws_cache);
 		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_rec_cache);
 		up_write(&pblk_lock);
 		return -ENOMEM;
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ static int pblk_init_global_caches(struct pblk *pblk)
 	pblk_w_rq_cache = kmem_cache_create("pblk_w_rq", pblk_w_rq_size,
 				0, 0, NULL);
 	if (!pblk_w_rq_cache) {
-		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_blk_ws_cache);
+		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_ws_cache);
 		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_rec_cache);
 		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_g_rq_cache);
 		up_write(&pblk_lock);
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ static int pblk_init_global_caches(struct pblk *pblk)
 	pblk_line_meta_cache = kmem_cache_create(cache_name,
 				pblk->lm.sec_bitmap_len, 0, 0, NULL);
 	if (!pblk_line_meta_cache) {
-		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_blk_ws_cache);
+		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_ws_cache);
 		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_rec_cache);
 		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_g_rq_cache);
 		kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_w_rq_cache);
@@ -246,20 +246,20 @@ static int pblk_core_init(struct pblk *pblk)
 	if (pblk_init_global_caches(pblk))
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	/* internal bios can be at most the sectors signaled by the device. */
+	/* Internal bios can be at most the sectors signaled by the device. */
 	pblk->page_bio_pool = mempool_create_page_pool(nvm_max_phys_sects(dev),
 									0);
 	if (!pblk->page_bio_pool)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	pblk->line_ws_pool = mempool_create_slab_pool(PBLK_WS_POOL_SIZE,
-							pblk_blk_ws_cache);
-	if (!pblk->line_ws_pool)
+	pblk->gen_ws_pool = mempool_create_slab_pool(PBLK_GEN_WS_POOL_SIZE,
+							pblk_ws_cache);
+	if (!pblk->gen_ws_pool)
 		goto free_page_bio_pool;
 
 	pblk->rec_pool = mempool_create_slab_pool(geo->nr_luns, pblk_rec_cache);
 	if (!pblk->rec_pool)
-		goto free_blk_ws_pool;
+		goto free_gen_ws_pool;
 
 	pblk->g_rq_pool = mempool_create_slab_pool(PBLK_READ_REQ_POOL_SIZE,
 							pblk_g_rq_cache);
@@ -308,8 +308,8 @@ static int pblk_core_init(struct pblk *pblk)
 	mempool_destroy(pblk->g_rq_pool);
 free_rec_pool:
 	mempool_destroy(pblk->rec_pool);
-free_blk_ws_pool:
-	mempool_destroy(pblk->line_ws_pool);
+free_gen_ws_pool:
+	mempool_destroy(pblk->gen_ws_pool);
 free_page_bio_pool:
 	mempool_destroy(pblk->page_bio_pool);
 	return -ENOMEM;
@@ -324,13 +324,13 @@ static void pblk_core_free(struct pblk *pblk)
 		destroy_workqueue(pblk->bb_wq);
 
 	mempool_destroy(pblk->page_bio_pool);
-	mempool_destroy(pblk->line_ws_pool);
+	mempool_destroy(pblk->gen_ws_pool);
 	mempool_destroy(pblk->rec_pool);
 	mempool_destroy(pblk->g_rq_pool);
 	mempool_destroy(pblk->w_rq_pool);
 	mempool_destroy(pblk->line_meta_pool);
 
-	kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_blk_ws_cache);
+	kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_ws_cache);
 	kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_rec_cache);
 	kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_g_rq_cache);
 	kmem_cache_destroy(pblk_w_rq_cache);
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-write.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-write.c
index b48d52b2ae38..81d1f1035fa3 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-write.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-write.c
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@ static void pblk_end_io_write_meta(struct nvm_rq *rqd)
 
 	sync = atomic_add_return(rqd->nr_ppas, &emeta->sync);
 	if (sync == emeta->nr_entries)
-		pblk_line_run_ws(pblk, line, NULL, pblk_line_close_ws,
-								pblk->close_wq);
+		pblk_gen_run_ws(pblk, line, NULL, pblk_line_close_ws,
+						GFP_ATOMIC, pblk->close_wq);
 
 	bio_put(rqd->bio);
 	nvm_dev_dma_free(dev->parent, rqd->meta_list, rqd->dma_meta_list);
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
index b2df4e707c36..dee8f66e6ce2 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
 #define PBLK_MAX_REQ_ADDRS (64)
 #define PBLK_MAX_REQ_ADDRS_PW (6)
 
-#define PBLK_WS_POOL_SIZE (128)
 #define PBLK_META_POOL_SIZE (128)
 #define PBLK_READ_REQ_POOL_SIZE (1024)
 
@@ -61,6 +60,8 @@
 
 #define ERASE 2 /* READ = 0, WRITE = 1 */
 
+#define PBLK_GEN_WS_POOL_SIZE (2)
+
 enum {
 	/* IO Types */
 	PBLK_IOTYPE_USER	= 1 << 0,
@@ -620,7 +621,7 @@ struct pblk {
 	struct list_head compl_list;
 
 	mempool_t *page_bio_pool;
-	mempool_t *line_ws_pool;
+	mempool_t *gen_ws_pool;
 	mempool_t *rec_pool;
 	mempool_t *g_rq_pool;
 	mempool_t *w_rq_pool;
@@ -724,9 +725,9 @@ void pblk_line_close_meta_sync(struct pblk *pblk);
 void pblk_line_close_ws(struct work_struct *work);
 void pblk_pipeline_stop(struct pblk *pblk);
 void pblk_line_mark_bb(struct work_struct *work);
-void pblk_line_run_ws(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line, void *priv,
-		      void (*work)(struct work_struct *),
-		      struct workqueue_struct *wq);
+void pblk_gen_run_ws(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line, void *priv,
+		     void (*work)(struct work_struct *), gfp_t gfp_mask,
+		     struct workqueue_struct *wq);
 u64 pblk_line_smeta_start(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line);
 int pblk_line_read_smeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line);
 int pblk_line_read_emeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
