diff --git a/block/bfq-cgroup.c b/block/bfq-cgroup.c
index 872036d059d7..4b379f0cf8ed 100644
--- a/block/bfq-cgroup.c
+++ b/block/bfq-cgroup.c
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ void bfq_bfqq_move(struct bfq_data *bfqd, struct bfq_queue *bfqq,
 		bfq_activate_bfqq(bfqd, bfqq);
 	}
 
-	if (!bfqd->in_service_queue && !bfqd->rq_in_driver)
+	if (!bfqd->in_service_queue && !bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver)
 		bfq_schedule_dispatch(bfqd);
 	/* release extra ref taken above, bfqq may happen to be freed now */
 	bfq_put_queue(bfqq);
diff --git a/block/bfq-iosched.c b/block/bfq-iosched.c
index dd9886b91e4c..fc4658438ecc 100644
--- a/block/bfq-iosched.c
+++ b/block/bfq-iosched.c
@@ -2249,6 +2249,7 @@ static void bfq_add_request(struct request *rq)
 
 	bfq_log_bfqq(bfqd, bfqq, "add_request %d", rq_is_sync(rq));
 	bfqq->queued[rq_is_sync(rq)]++;
+
 	/*
 	 * Updating of 'bfqd->queued' is protected by 'bfqd->lock', however, it
 	 * may be read without holding the lock in bfq_has_work().
@@ -2294,9 +2295,9 @@ static void bfq_add_request(struct request *rq)
 		 *   elapsed.
 		 */
 		if (bfqq == bfqd->in_service_queue &&
-		    (bfqd->rq_in_driver == 0 ||
+		    (bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver == 0 ||
 		     (bfqq->last_serv_time_ns > 0 &&
-		      bfqd->rqs_injected && bfqd->rq_in_driver > 0)) &&
+		      bfqd->rqs_injected && bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver > 0)) &&
 		    time_is_before_eq_jiffies(bfqq->decrease_time_jif +
 					      msecs_to_jiffies(10))) {
 			bfqd->last_empty_occupied_ns = ktime_get_ns();
@@ -2320,7 +2321,7 @@ static void bfq_add_request(struct request *rq)
 			 * will be set in case injection is performed
 			 * on bfqq before rq is completed).
 			 */
-			if (bfqd->rq_in_driver == 0)
+			if (bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver == 0)
 				bfqd->rqs_injected = false;
 		}
 	}
@@ -2418,15 +2419,18 @@ static sector_t get_sdist(sector_t last_pos, struct request *rq)
 static void bfq_activate_request(struct request_queue *q, struct request *rq)
 {
 	struct bfq_data *bfqd = q->elevator->elevator_data;
+	unsigned int act_idx = bfq_actuator_index(bfqd, rq->bio);
 
-	bfqd->rq_in_driver++;
+	bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver++;
+	bfqd->rq_in_driver[act_idx]++;
 }
 
 static void bfq_deactivate_request(struct request_queue *q, struct request *rq)
 {
 	struct bfq_data *bfqd = q->elevator->elevator_data;
 
-	bfqd->rq_in_driver--;
+	bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver--;
+	bfqd->rq_in_driver[bfq_actuator_index(bfqd, rq->bio)]--;
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -2700,11 +2704,14 @@ void bfq_end_wr_async_queues(struct bfq_data *bfqd,
 static void bfq_end_wr(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 {
 	struct bfq_queue *bfqq;
+	int i;
 
 	spin_lock_irq(&bfqd->lock);
 
-	list_for_each_entry(bfqq, &bfqd->active_list, bfqq_list)
-		bfq_bfqq_end_wr(bfqq);
+	for (i = 0; i < bfqd->num_ia_ranges; i++) {
+		list_for_each_entry(bfqq, &bfqd->active_list[i], bfqq_list)
+			bfq_bfqq_end_wr(bfqq);
+	}
 	list_for_each_entry(bfqq, &bfqd->idle_list, bfqq_list)
 		bfq_bfqq_end_wr(bfqq);
 	bfq_end_wr_async(bfqd);
@@ -3639,13 +3646,13 @@ static void bfq_update_peak_rate(struct bfq_data *bfqd, struct request *rq)
 	 * - start a new observation interval with this dispatch
 	 */
 	if (now_ns - bfqd->last_dispatch > 100*NSEC_PER_MSEC &&
-	    bfqd->rq_in_driver == 0)
+	    bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver == 0)
 		goto update_rate_and_reset;
 
 	/* Update sampling information */
 	bfqd->peak_rate_samples++;
 
-	if ((bfqd->rq_in_driver > 0 ||
+	if ((bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver > 0 ||
 		now_ns - bfqd->last_completion < BFQ_MIN_TT)
 	    && !BFQ_RQ_SEEKY(bfqd, bfqd->last_position, rq))
 		bfqd->sequential_samples++;
@@ -3912,7 +3919,7 @@ static bool idling_needed_for_service_guarantees(struct bfq_data *bfqd,
 	return (bfqq->wr_coeff > 1 &&
 		(bfqd->wr_busy_queues <
 		 tot_busy_queues ||
-		 bfqd->rq_in_driver >=
+		 bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver >=
 		 bfqq->dispatched + 4)) ||
 		bfq_asymmetric_scenario(bfqd, bfqq) ||
 		tot_busy_queues == 1;
@@ -4684,6 +4691,7 @@ bfq_choose_bfqq_for_injection(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 {
 	struct bfq_queue *bfqq, *in_serv_bfqq = bfqd->in_service_queue;
 	unsigned int limit = in_serv_bfqq->inject_limit;
+	int i;
 	/*
 	 * If
 	 * - bfqq is not weight-raised and therefore does not carry
@@ -4715,7 +4723,7 @@ bfq_choose_bfqq_for_injection(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 		)
 		limit = 1;
 
-	if (bfqd->rq_in_driver >= limit)
+	if (bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver >= limit)
 		return NULL;
 
 	/*
@@ -4730,11 +4738,12 @@ bfq_choose_bfqq_for_injection(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 	 *   (and re-added only if it gets new requests, but then it
 	 *   is assigned again enough budget for its new backlog).
 	 */
-	list_for_each_entry(bfqq, &bfqd->active_list, bfqq_list)
-		if (!RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&bfqq->sort_list) &&
-		    (in_serv_always_inject || bfqq->wr_coeff > 1) &&
-		    bfq_serv_to_charge(bfqq->next_rq, bfqq) <=
-		    bfq_bfqq_budget_left(bfqq)) {
+	for (i = 0; i < bfqd->num_ia_ranges; i++) {
+		list_for_each_entry(bfqq, &bfqd->active_list[i], bfqq_list)
+			if (!RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&bfqq->sort_list) &&
+				(in_serv_always_inject || bfqq->wr_coeff > 1) &&
+				bfq_serv_to_charge(bfqq->next_rq, bfqq) <=
+				bfq_bfqq_budget_left(bfqq)) {
 			/*
 			 * Allow for only one large in-flight request
 			 * on non-rotational devices, for the
@@ -4759,22 +4768,67 @@ bfq_choose_bfqq_for_injection(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 			else
 				limit = in_serv_bfqq->inject_limit;
 
-			if (bfqd->rq_in_driver < limit) {
+			if (bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver < limit) {
 				bfqd->rqs_injected = true;
 				return bfqq;
 			}
 		}
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+struct bfq_queue *bfq_find_active_bfqq_for_actuator(struct bfq_data *bfqd,
+						    int idx)
+{
+	struct bfq_queue *bfqq = NULL;
+
+	if (bfqd->in_service_queue &&
+	    bfqd->in_service_queue->actuator_idx == idx)
+		return bfqd->in_service_queue;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(bfqq, &bfqd->active_list[idx], bfqq_list) {
+		if (!RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&bfqq->sort_list) &&
+			bfq_serv_to_charge(bfqq->next_rq, bfqq) <=
+				bfq_bfqq_budget_left(bfqq)) {
+			return bfqq;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Perform a linear scan of each actuator, until an actuator is found
+ * for which the following two conditions hold: the load of the
+ * actuator is below the threshold (see comments on actuator_load_threshold
+ * for details), and there is a queue that contains I/O for that
+ * actuator. On success, return that queue.
+ */
+struct bfq_queue *bfq_find_bfqq_for_underused_actuator(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
+{
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 0 ; i < bfqd->num_ia_ranges; i++)
+		if (bfqd->rq_in_driver[i] < bfqd->actuator_load_threshold) {
+			struct bfq_queue *bfqq =
+				bfq_find_active_bfqq_for_actuator(bfqd, i);
+
+			if (bfqq)
+				return bfqq;
+		}
 
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+
 /*
  * Select a queue for service.  If we have a current queue in service,
  * check whether to continue servicing it, or retrieve and set a new one.
  */
 static struct bfq_queue *bfq_select_queue(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 {
-	struct bfq_queue *bfqq;
+	struct bfq_queue *bfqq, *inject_bfqq;
 	struct request *next_rq;
 	enum bfqq_expiration reason = BFQQE_BUDGET_TIMEOUT;
 
@@ -4796,6 +4850,15 @@ static struct bfq_queue *bfq_select_queue(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 		goto expire;
 
 check_queue:
+	/*
+	 *  If some actuator is underutilized, but the in-service
+	 *  queue does not contain I/O for that actuator, then try to
+	 *  inject I/O for that actuator.
+	 */
+	inject_bfqq = bfq_find_bfqq_for_underused_actuator(bfqd);
+	if (inject_bfqq && inject_bfqq != bfqq)
+		return inject_bfqq;
+
 	/*
 	 * This loop is rarely executed more than once. Even when it
 	 * happens, it is much more convenient to re-execute this loop
@@ -5151,11 +5214,11 @@ static struct request *__bfq_dispatch_request(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx)
 
 		/*
 		 * We exploit the bfq_finish_requeue_request hook to
-		 * decrement rq_in_driver, but
+		 * decrement tot_rq_in_driver, but
 		 * bfq_finish_requeue_request will not be invoked on
 		 * this request. So, to avoid unbalance, just start
-		 * this request, without incrementing rq_in_driver. As
-		 * a negative consequence, rq_in_driver is deceptively
+		 * this request, without incrementing tot_rq_in_driver. As
+		 * a negative consequence, tot_rq_in_driver is deceptively
 		 * lower than it should be while this request is in
 		 * service. This may cause bfq_schedule_dispatch to be
 		 * invoked uselessly.
@@ -5164,7 +5227,7 @@ static struct request *__bfq_dispatch_request(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx)
 		 * bfq_finish_requeue_request hook, if defined, is
 		 * probably invoked also on this request. So, by
 		 * exploiting this hook, we could 1) increment
-		 * rq_in_driver here, and 2) decrement it in
+		 * tot_rq_in_driver here, and 2) decrement it in
 		 * bfq_finish_requeue_request. Such a solution would
 		 * let the value of the counter be always accurate,
 		 * but it would entail using an extra interface
@@ -5193,7 +5256,7 @@ static struct request *__bfq_dispatch_request(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx)
 	 * Of course, serving one request at a time may cause loss of
 	 * throughput.
 	 */
-	if (bfqd->strict_guarantees && bfqd->rq_in_driver > 0)
+	if (bfqd->strict_guarantees && bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver > 0)
 		goto exit;
 
 	bfqq = bfq_select_queue(bfqd);
@@ -5204,7 +5267,8 @@ static struct request *__bfq_dispatch_request(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx)
 
 	if (rq) {
 inc_in_driver_start_rq:
-		bfqd->rq_in_driver++;
+		bfqd->rq_in_driver[bfqq->actuator_idx]++;
+		bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver++;
 start_rq:
 		rq->rq_flags |= RQF_STARTED;
 	}
@@ -6266,7 +6330,7 @@ static void bfq_update_hw_tag(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 	struct bfq_queue *bfqq = bfqd->in_service_queue;
 
 	bfqd->max_rq_in_driver = max_t(int, bfqd->max_rq_in_driver,
-				       bfqd->rq_in_driver);
+				       bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver);
 
 	if (bfqd->hw_tag == 1)
 		return;
@@ -6277,7 +6341,7 @@ static void bfq_update_hw_tag(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 	 * sum is not exact, as it's not taking into account deactivated
 	 * requests.
 	 */
-	if (bfqd->rq_in_driver + bfqd->queued <= BFQ_HW_QUEUE_THRESHOLD)
+	if (bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver + bfqd->queued <= BFQ_HW_QUEUE_THRESHOLD)
 		return;
 
 	/*
@@ -6288,7 +6352,7 @@ static void bfq_update_hw_tag(struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 	if (bfqq && bfq_bfqq_has_short_ttime(bfqq) &&
 	    bfqq->dispatched + bfqq->queued[0] + bfqq->queued[1] <
 	    BFQ_HW_QUEUE_THRESHOLD &&
-	    bfqd->rq_in_driver < BFQ_HW_QUEUE_THRESHOLD)
+	    bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver < BFQ_HW_QUEUE_THRESHOLD)
 		return;
 
 	if (bfqd->hw_tag_samples++ < BFQ_HW_QUEUE_SAMPLES)
@@ -6309,7 +6373,8 @@ static void bfq_completed_request(struct bfq_queue *bfqq, struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 
 	bfq_update_hw_tag(bfqd);
 
-	bfqd->rq_in_driver--;
+	bfqd->rq_in_driver[bfqq->actuator_idx]--;
+	bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver--;
 	bfqq->dispatched--;
 
 	if (!bfqq->dispatched && !bfq_bfqq_busy(bfqq)) {
@@ -6428,7 +6493,7 @@ static void bfq_completed_request(struct bfq_queue *bfqq, struct bfq_data *bfqd)
 					BFQQE_NO_MORE_REQUESTS);
 	}
 
-	if (!bfqd->rq_in_driver)
+	if (!bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver)
 		bfq_schedule_dispatch(bfqd);
 }
 
@@ -6559,13 +6624,13 @@ static void bfq_update_inject_limit(struct bfq_data *bfqd,
 	 * conditions to do it, or we can lower the last base value
 	 * computed.
 	 *
-	 * NOTE: (bfqd->rq_in_driver == 1) means that there is no I/O
+	 * NOTE: (bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver == 1) means that there is no I/O
 	 * request in flight, because this function is in the code
 	 * path that handles the completion of a request of bfqq, and,
 	 * in particular, this function is executed before
-	 * bfqd->rq_in_driver is decremented in such a code path.
+	 * bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver is decremented in such a code path.
 	 */
-	if ((bfqq->last_serv_time_ns == 0 && bfqd->rq_in_driver == 1) ||
+	if ((bfqq->last_serv_time_ns == 0 && bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver == 1) ||
 	    tot_time_ns < bfqq->last_serv_time_ns) {
 		if (bfqq->last_serv_time_ns == 0) {
 			/*
@@ -6575,7 +6640,7 @@ static void bfq_update_inject_limit(struct bfq_data *bfqd,
 			bfqq->inject_limit = max_t(unsigned int, 1, old_limit);
 		}
 		bfqq->last_serv_time_ns = tot_time_ns;
-	} else if (!bfqd->rqs_injected && bfqd->rq_in_driver == 1)
+	} else if (!bfqd->rqs_injected && bfqd->tot_rq_in_driver == 1)
 		/*
 		 * No I/O injected and no request still in service in
 		 * the drive: these are the exact conditions for
@@ -7211,7 +7276,8 @@ static int bfq_init_queue(struct request_queue *q, struct elevator_type *e)
 	bfqd->queue_weights_tree = RB_ROOT_CACHED;
 	bfqd->num_groups_with_pending_reqs = 0;
 
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&bfqd->active_list);
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&bfqd->active_list[0]);
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&bfqd->active_list[1]);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&bfqd->idle_list);
 	INIT_HLIST_HEAD(&bfqd->burst_list);
 
@@ -7256,6 +7322,9 @@ static int bfq_init_queue(struct request_queue *q, struct elevator_type *e)
 		ref_wr_duration[blk_queue_nonrot(bfqd->queue)];
 	bfqd->peak_rate = ref_rate[blk_queue_nonrot(bfqd->queue)] * 2 / 3;
 
+	/* see comments on the definition of next field inside bfq_data */
+	bfqd->actuator_load_threshold = 4;
+
 	spin_lock_init(&bfqd->lock);
 
 	/*
diff --git a/block/bfq-iosched.h b/block/bfq-iosched.h
index 0c78feea15d7..10c2d83bcb34 100644
--- a/block/bfq-iosched.h
+++ b/block/bfq-iosched.h
@@ -578,7 +578,12 @@ struct bfq_data {
 	/* number of queued requests */
 	int queued;
 	/* number of requests dispatched and waiting for completion */
-	int rq_in_driver;
+	int tot_rq_in_driver;
+	/*
+	 * number of requests dispatched and waiting for completion
+	 * for each actuator
+	 */
+	int rq_in_driver[BFQ_MAX_ACTUATORS];
 
 	/* true if the device is non rotational and performs queueing */
 	bool nonrot_with_queueing;
@@ -672,8 +677,13 @@ struct bfq_data {
 	/* maximum budget allotted to a bfq_queue before rescheduling */
 	int bfq_max_budget;
 
-	/* list of all the bfq_queues active on the device */
-	struct list_head active_list;
+	/*
+	 * List of all the bfq_queues active for a specific actuator
+	 * on the device. Keeping active queues separate on a
+	 * per-actuator basis helps implementing per-actuator
+	 * injection more efficiently.
+	 */
+	struct list_head active_list[BFQ_MAX_ACTUATORS];
 	/* list of all the bfq_queues idle on the device */
 	struct list_head idle_list;
 
@@ -808,6 +818,29 @@ struct bfq_data {
 	 * in this device.
 	 */
 	struct blk_independent_access_range ia_ranges[BFQ_MAX_ACTUATORS];
+
+	/*
+	 * If the number of I/O requests queued in the device for a
+	 * given actuator is below next threshold, then the actuator
+	 * is deemed as underutilized. If this condition is found to
+	 * hold for some actuator upon a dispatch, but (i) the
+	 * in-service queue does not contain I/O for that actuator,
+	 * while (ii) some other queue does contain I/O for that
+	 * actuator, then the head I/O request of the latter queue is
+	 * returned (injected), instead of the head request of the
+	 * currently in-service queue.
+	 *
+	 * We set the threshold, empirically, to the minimum possible
+	 * value for which an actuator is fully utilized, or close to
+	 * be fully utilized. By doing so, injected I/O 'steals' as
+	 * few drive-queue slots as possibile to the in-service
+	 * queue. This reduces as much as possible the probability
+	 * that the service of I/O from the in-service bfq_queue gets
+	 * delayed because of slot exhaustion, i.e., because all the
+	 * slots of the drive queue are filled with I/O injected from
+	 * other queues (NCQ provides for 32 slots).
+	 */
+	unsigned int actuator_load_threshold;
 };
 
 enum bfqq_state_flags {
diff --git a/block/bfq-wf2q.c b/block/bfq-wf2q.c
index f8eb340381cf..f142f28e2f4d 100644
--- a/block/bfq-wf2q.c
+++ b/block/bfq-wf2q.c
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ static void bfq_active_insert(struct bfq_service_tree *st,
 	bfqd = (struct bfq_data *)bfqg->bfqd;
 #endif
 	if (bfqq)
-		list_add(&bfqq->bfqq_list, &bfqq->bfqd->active_list);
+		list_add(&bfqq->bfqq_list, &bfqq->bfqd->active_list[bfqq->actuator_idx]);
 #ifdef CONFIG_BFQ_GROUP_IOSCHED
 	if (bfqg != bfqd->root_group)
 		bfqg->active_entities++;
