--- a/include/linux/slub_def.h~mm-slub-convert-kmem_cpu_slab-protection-to-local_lock
+++ a/include/linux/slub_def.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <linux/kfence.h>
 #include <linux/kobject.h>
 #include <linux/reciprocal_div.h>
+#include <linux/local_lock.h>
 
 enum stat_item {
 	ALLOC_FASTPATH,		/* Allocation from cpu slab */
@@ -40,6 +41,10 @@ enum stat_item {
 	CPU_PARTIAL_DRAIN,	/* Drain cpu partial to node partial */
 	NR_SLUB_STAT_ITEMS };
 
+/*
+ * When changing the layout, make sure freelist and tid are still compatible
+ * with this_cpu_cmpxchg_double() alignment requirements.
+ */
 struct kmem_cache_cpu {
 	void **freelist;	/* Pointer to next available object */
 	unsigned long tid;	/* Globally unique transaction id */
@@ -47,6 +52,7 @@ struct kmem_cache_cpu {
 #ifdef CONFIG_SLUB_CPU_PARTIAL
 	struct page *partial;	/* Partially allocated frozen slabs */
 #endif
+	local_lock_t lock;	/* Protects the fields above */
 #ifdef CONFIG_SLUB_STATS
 	unsigned stat[NR_SLUB_STAT_ITEMS];
 #endif
--- a/mm/slub.c~mm-slub-convert-kmem_cpu_slab-protection-to-local_lock
+++ a/mm/slub.c
@@ -46,13 +46,21 @@
 /*
  * Lock order:
  *   1. slab_mutex (Global Mutex)
- *   2. node->list_lock
- *   3. slab_lock(page) (Only on some arches and for debugging)
+ *   2. node->list_lock (Spinlock)
+ *   3. kmem_cache->cpu_slab->lock (Local lock)
+ *   4. slab_lock(page) (Only on some arches or for debugging)
+ *   5. object_map_lock (Only for debugging)
  *
  *   slab_mutex
  *
  *   The role of the slab_mutex is to protect the list of all the slabs
  *   and to synchronize major metadata changes to slab cache structures.
+ *   Also synchronizes memory hotplug callbacks.
+ *
+ *   slab_lock
+ *
+ *   The slab_lock is a wrapper around the page lock, thus it is a bit
+ *   spinlock.
  *
  *   The slab_lock is only used for debugging and on arches that do not
  *   have the ability to do a cmpxchg_double. It only protects:
@@ -61,6 +69,8 @@
  *	C. page->objects	-> Number of objects in page
  *	D. page->frozen		-> frozen state
  *
+ *   Frozen slabs
+ *
  *   If a slab is frozen then it is exempt from list management. It is not
  *   on any list except per cpu partial list. The processor that froze the
  *   slab is the one who can perform list operations on the page. Other
@@ -68,6 +78,8 @@
  *   froze the slab is the only one that can retrieve the objects from the
  *   page's freelist.
  *
+ *   list_lock
+ *
  *   The list_lock protects the partial and full list on each node and
  *   the partial slab counter. If taken then no new slabs may be added or
  *   removed from the lists nor make the number of partial slabs be modified.
@@ -79,10 +91,36 @@
  *   slabs, operations can continue without any centralized lock. F.e.
  *   allocating a long series of objects that fill up slabs does not require
  *   the list lock.
- *   Interrupts are disabled during allocation and deallocation in order to
- *   make the slab allocator safe to use in the context of an irq. In addition
- *   interrupts are disabled to ensure that the processor does not change
- *   while handling per_cpu slabs, due to kernel preemption.
+ *
+ *   cpu_slab->lock local lock
+ *
+ *   This locks protect slowpath manipulation of all kmem_cache_cpu fields
+ *   except the stat counters. This is a percpu structure manipulated only by
+ *   the local cpu, so the lock protects against being preempted or interrupted
+ *   by an irq. Fast path operations rely on lockless operations instead.
+ *   On PREEMPT_RT, the local lock does not actually disable irqs (and thus
+ *   prevent the lockless operations), so fastpath operations also need to take
+ *   the lock and are no longer lockless.
+ *
+ *   lockless fastpaths
+ *
+ *   The fast path allocation (slab_alloc_node()) and freeing (do_slab_free())
+ *   are fully lockless when satisfied from the percpu slab (and when
+ *   cmpxchg_double is possible to use, otherwise slab_lock is taken).
+ *   They also don't disable preemption or migration or irqs. They rely on
+ *   the transaction id (tid) field to detect being preempted or moved to
+ *   another cpu.
+ *
+ *   irq, preemption, migration considerations
+ *
+ *   Interrupts are disabled as part of list_lock or local_lock operations, or
+ *   around the slab_lock operation, in order to make the slab allocator safe
+ *   to use in the context of an irq.
+ *
+ *   In addition, preemption (or migration on PREEMPT_RT) is disabled in the
+ *   allocation slowpath, bulk allocation, and put_cpu_partial(), so that the
+ *   local cpu doesn't change in the process and e.g. the kmem_cache_cpu pointer
+ *   doesn't have to be revalidated in each section protected by the local lock.
  *
  * SLUB assigns one slab for allocation to each processor.
  * Allocations only occur from these slabs called cpu slabs.
@@ -2231,9 +2269,13 @@ static inline void note_cmpxchg_failure(
 static void init_kmem_cache_cpus(struct kmem_cache *s)
 {
 	int cpu;
+	struct kmem_cache_cpu *c;
 
-	for_each_possible_cpu(cpu)
-		per_cpu_ptr(s->cpu_slab, cpu)->tid = init_tid(cpu);
+	for_each_possible_cpu(cpu) {
+		c = per_cpu_ptr(s->cpu_slab, cpu);
+		local_lock_init(&c->lock);
+		c->tid = init_tid(cpu);
+	}
 }
 
 /*
@@ -2444,10 +2486,10 @@ static void unfreeze_partials(struct kme
 	struct page *partial_page;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
-	local_irq_save(flags);
+	local_lock_irqsave(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 	partial_page = this_cpu_read(s->cpu_slab->partial);
 	this_cpu_write(s->cpu_slab->partial, NULL);
-	local_irq_restore(flags);
+	local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 
 	if (partial_page)
 		__unfreeze_partials(s, partial_page);
@@ -2480,7 +2522,7 @@ static void put_cpu_partial(struct kmem_
 	int pages = 0;
 	int pobjects = 0;
 
-	local_irq_save(flags);
+	local_lock_irqsave(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 
 	oldpage = this_cpu_read(s->cpu_slab->partial);
 
@@ -2508,7 +2550,7 @@ static void put_cpu_partial(struct kmem_
 
 	this_cpu_write(s->cpu_slab->partial, page);
 
-	local_irq_restore(flags);
+	local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 
 	if (page_to_unfreeze) {
 		__unfreeze_partials(s, page_to_unfreeze);
@@ -2532,7 +2574,7 @@ static inline void flush_slab(struct kme
 	struct page *page;
 
 	if (lock)
-		local_irq_save(flags);
+		local_lock_irqsave(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 
 	freelist = c->freelist;
 	page = c->page;
@@ -2542,7 +2584,7 @@ static inline void flush_slab(struct kme
 	c->tid = next_tid(c->tid);
 
 	if (lock)
-		local_irq_restore(flags);
+		local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 
 	if (page)
 		deactivate_slab(s, page, freelist);
@@ -2849,9 +2891,9 @@ redo:
 		goto deactivate_slab;
 
 	/* must check again c->page in case we got preempted and it changed */
-	local_irq_save(flags);
+	local_lock_irqsave(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 	if (unlikely(page != c->page)) {
-		local_irq_restore(flags);
+		local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 		goto reread_page;
 	}
 	freelist = c->freelist;
@@ -2862,7 +2904,7 @@ redo:
 
 	if (!freelist) {
 		c->page = NULL;
-		local_irq_restore(flags);
+		local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 		stat(s, DEACTIVATE_BYPASS);
 		goto new_slab;
 	}
@@ -2871,7 +2913,7 @@ redo:
 
 load_freelist:
 
-	lockdep_assert_irqs_disabled();
+	lockdep_assert_held(this_cpu_ptr(&s->cpu_slab->lock));
 
 	/*
 	 * freelist is pointing to the list of objects to be used.
@@ -2881,39 +2923,39 @@ load_freelist:
 	VM_BUG_ON(!c->page->frozen);
 	c->freelist = get_freepointer(s, freelist);
 	c->tid = next_tid(c->tid);
-	local_irq_restore(flags);
+	local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 	return freelist;
 
 deactivate_slab:
 
-	local_irq_save(flags);
+	local_lock_irqsave(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 	if (page != c->page) {
-		local_irq_restore(flags);
+		local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 		goto reread_page;
 	}
 	freelist = c->freelist;
 	c->page = NULL;
 	c->freelist = NULL;
-	local_irq_restore(flags);
+	local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 	deactivate_slab(s, page, freelist);
 
 new_slab:
 
 	if (slub_percpu_partial(c)) {
-		local_irq_save(flags);
+		local_lock_irqsave(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 		if (unlikely(c->page)) {
-			local_irq_restore(flags);
+			local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 			goto reread_page;
 		}
 		if (unlikely(!slub_percpu_partial(c))) {
-			local_irq_restore(flags);
+			local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 			/* we were preempted and partial list got empty */
 			goto new_objects;
 		}
 
 		page = c->page = slub_percpu_partial(c);
 		slub_set_percpu_partial(c, page);
-		local_irq_restore(flags);
+		local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 		stat(s, CPU_PARTIAL_ALLOC);
 		goto redo;
 	}
@@ -2966,7 +3008,7 @@ check_new_page:
 
 retry_load_page:
 
-	local_irq_save(flags);
+	local_lock_irqsave(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 	if (unlikely(c->page)) {
 		void *flush_freelist = c->freelist;
 		struct page *flush_page = c->page;
@@ -2975,7 +3017,7 @@ retry_load_page:
 		c->freelist = NULL;
 		c->tid = next_tid(c->tid);
 
-		local_irq_restore(flags);
+		local_unlock_irqrestore(&s->cpu_slab->lock, flags);
 
 		deactivate_slab(s, flush_page, flush_freelist);
 
@@ -3094,7 +3136,15 @@ redo:
 
 	object = c->freelist;
 	page = c->page;
-	if (unlikely(!object || !page || !node_match(page, node))) {
+	/*
+	 * We cannot use the lockless fastpath on PREEMPT_RT because if a
+	 * slowpath has taken the local_lock_irqsave(), it is not protected
+	 * against a fast path operation in an irq handler. So we need to take
+	 * the slow path which uses local_lock. It is still relatively fast if
+	 * there is a suitable cpu freelist.
+	 */
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT) ||
+	    unlikely(!object || !page || !node_match(page, node))) {
 		object = __slab_alloc(s, gfpflags, node, addr, c);
 	} else {
 		void *next_object = get_freepointer_safe(s, object);
@@ -3354,6 +3404,7 @@ redo:
 	barrier();
 
 	if (likely(page == c->page)) {
+#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
 		void **freelist = READ_ONCE(c->freelist);
 
 		set_freepointer(s, tail_obj, freelist);
@@ -3366,6 +3417,31 @@ redo:
 			note_cmpxchg_failure("slab_free", s, tid);
 			goto redo;
 		}
+#else /* CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT */
+		/*
+		 * We cannot use the lockless fastpath on PREEMPT_RT because if
+		 * a slowpath has taken the local_lock_irqsave(), it is not
+		 * protected against a fast path operation in an irq handler. So
+		 * we need to take the local_lock. We shouldn't simply defer to
+		 * __slab_free() as that wouldn't use the cpu freelist at all.
+		 */
+		void **freelist;
+
+		local_lock(&s->cpu_slab->lock);
+		c = this_cpu_ptr(s->cpu_slab);
+		if (unlikely(page != c->page)) {
+			local_unlock(&s->cpu_slab->lock);
+			goto redo;
+		}
+		tid = c->tid;
+		freelist = c->freelist;
+
+		set_freepointer(s, tail_obj, freelist);
+		c->freelist = head;
+		c->tid = next_tid(tid);
+
+		local_unlock(&s->cpu_slab->lock);
+#endif
 		stat(s, FREE_FASTPATH);
 	} else
 		__slab_free(s, page, head, tail_obj, cnt, addr);
@@ -3544,7 +3620,7 @@ int kmem_cache_alloc_bulk(struct kmem_ca
 	 * handlers invoking normal fastpath.
 	 */
 	c = slub_get_cpu_ptr(s->cpu_slab);
-	local_irq_disable();
+	local_lock_irq(&s->cpu_slab->lock);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < size; i++) {
 		void *object = kfence_alloc(s, s->object_size, flags);
@@ -3565,7 +3641,7 @@ int kmem_cache_alloc_bulk(struct kmem_ca
 			 */
 			c->tid = next_tid(c->tid);
 
-			local_irq_enable();
+			local_unlock_irq(&s->cpu_slab->lock);
 
 			/*
 			 * Invoking slow path likely have side-effect
@@ -3579,7 +3655,7 @@ int kmem_cache_alloc_bulk(struct kmem_ca
 			c = this_cpu_ptr(s->cpu_slab);
 			maybe_wipe_obj_freeptr(s, p[i]);
 
-			local_irq_disable();
+			local_lock_irq(&s->cpu_slab->lock);
 
 			continue; /* goto for-loop */
 		}
@@ -3588,7 +3664,7 @@ int kmem_cache_alloc_bulk(struct kmem_ca
 		maybe_wipe_obj_freeptr(s, p[i]);
 	}
 	c->tid = next_tid(c->tid);
-	local_irq_enable();
+	local_unlock_irq(&s->cpu_slab->lock);
 	slub_put_cpu_ptr(s->cpu_slab);
 
 	/*
