diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe.c b/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe.c
index 7a7e713de52d..54c723a6edda 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe.c
@@ -212,10 +212,16 @@ static int __init rxe_module_init(void)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	err = rxe_net_init();
+	err = rxe_alloc_wq();
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
+	err = rxe_net_init();
+	if (err) {
+		rxe_destroy_wq();
+		return err;
+	}
+
 	rdma_link_register(&rxe_link_ops);
 	pr_info("loaded\n");
 	return 0;
@@ -226,6 +232,7 @@ static void __exit rxe_module_exit(void)
 	rdma_link_unregister(&rxe_link_ops);
 	ib_unregister_driver(RDMA_DRIVER_RXE);
 	rxe_net_exit();
+	rxe_destroy_wq();
 
 	pr_info("unloaded\n");
 }
diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_task.c b/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_task.c
index fea9a517c8d9..939d158a7a12 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_task.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_task.c
@@ -6,6 +6,22 @@
 
 #include "rxe.h"
 
+static struct workqueue_struct *rxe_wq;
+
+int rxe_alloc_wq(void)
+{
+	rxe_wq = alloc_workqueue("rxe_wq", WQ_CPU_INTENSIVE, WQ_MAX_ACTIVE);
+	if (!rxe_wq)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void rxe_destroy_wq(void)
+{
+	destroy_workqueue(rxe_wq);
+}
+
 /* Check if task is idle i.e. not running, not scheduled in
  * tasklet queue and not draining. If so move to busy to
  * reserve a slot in do_task() by setting to busy and taking
@@ -21,7 +37,7 @@ static bool __reserve_if_idle(struct rxe_task *task)
 {
 	WARN_ON(rxe_read(task->qp) <= 0);
 
-	if (task->tasklet.state & TASKLET_STATE_SCHED)
+	if (work_pending(&task->work))
 		return false;
 
 	if (task->state == TASK_STATE_IDLE) {
@@ -46,7 +62,7 @@ static bool __reserve_if_idle(struct rxe_task *task)
  */
 static bool __is_done(struct rxe_task *task)
 {
-	if (task->tasklet.state & TASKLET_STATE_SCHED)
+	if (work_pending(&task->work))
 		return false;
 
 	if (task->state == TASK_STATE_IDLE ||
@@ -86,14 +102,13 @@ static bool is_done(struct rxe_task *task)
  * The number of times the task can be run is limited by
  * max iterations so one task cannot hold the cpu forever.
  */
-static void do_task(struct tasklet_struct *t)
+static void do_task(struct rxe_task *task)
 {
-	int cont;
-	int ret;
-	struct rxe_task *task = from_tasklet(task, t, tasklet);
 	unsigned int iterations;
 	unsigned long flags;
 	int resched = 0;
+	int cont;
+	int ret;
 
 	WARN_ON(rxe_read(task->qp) <= 0);
 
@@ -169,6 +184,12 @@ static void do_task(struct tasklet_struct *t)
 	rxe_put(task->qp);
 }
 
+/* wrapper around do_task to fix argument */
+static void __do_task(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	do_task(container_of(work, struct rxe_task, work));
+}
+
 int rxe_init_task(struct rxe_task *task, struct rxe_qp *qp,
 		  int (*func)(struct rxe_qp *))
 {
@@ -176,11 +197,9 @@ int rxe_init_task(struct rxe_task *task, struct rxe_qp *qp,
 
 	task->qp = qp;
 	task->func = func;
-
-	tasklet_setup(&task->tasklet, do_task);
-
 	task->state = TASK_STATE_IDLE;
 	spin_lock_init(&task->lock);
+	INIT_WORK(&task->work, __do_task);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -213,8 +232,6 @@ void rxe_cleanup_task(struct rxe_task *task)
 	while (!is_done(task))
 		cond_resched();
 
-	tasklet_kill(&task->tasklet);
-
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&task->lock, flags);
 	task->state = TASK_STATE_INVALID;
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&task->lock, flags);
@@ -235,7 +252,7 @@ void rxe_run_task(struct rxe_task *task)
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&task->lock, flags);
 
 	if (run)
-		do_task(&task->tasklet);
+		do_task(task);
 }
 
 /* schedule the task to run later as a tasklet.
@@ -250,7 +267,7 @@ void rxe_sched_task(struct rxe_task *task)
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&task->lock, flags);
 	if (__reserve_if_idle(task))
-		tasklet_schedule(&task->tasklet);
+		queue_work(rxe_wq, &task->work);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&task->lock, flags);
 }
 
@@ -277,7 +294,9 @@ void rxe_disable_task(struct rxe_task *task)
 	while (!is_done(task))
 		cond_resched();
 
-	tasklet_disable(&task->tasklet);
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&task->lock, flags);
+	task->state = TASK_STATE_DRAINED;
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&task->lock, flags);
 }
 
 void rxe_enable_task(struct rxe_task *task)
@@ -291,7 +310,7 @@ void rxe_enable_task(struct rxe_task *task)
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&task->lock, flags);
 		return;
 	}
+
 	task->state = TASK_STATE_IDLE;
-	tasklet_enable(&task->tasklet);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&task->lock, flags);
 }
diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_task.h b/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_task.h
index facb7c8e3729..a63e258b3d66 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_task.h
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/sw/rxe/rxe_task.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ enum {
  * called again.
  */
 struct rxe_task {
-	struct tasklet_struct	tasklet;
+	struct work_struct	work;
 	int			state;
 	spinlock_t		lock;
 	struct rxe_qp		*qp;
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ struct rxe_task {
 	long			num_done;
 };
 
+int rxe_alloc_wq(void);
+
+void rxe_destroy_wq(void);
+
 /*
  * init rxe_task structure
  *	qp  => parameter to pass to func
