diff --git a/include/linux/console.h b/include/linux/console.h
index 9a251e70c090..8c1686e2c233 100644
--- a/include/linux/console.h
+++ b/include/linux/console.h
@@ -153,8 +153,6 @@ struct console {
 	uint	ospeed;
 	u64	seq;
 	unsigned long dropped;
-	struct task_struct *thread;
-
 	void	*data;
 	struct	 console *next;
 };
diff --git a/kernel/printk/printk.c b/kernel/printk/printk.c
index ae489dc685a1..5a6273e56b4e 100644
--- a/kernel/printk/printk.c
+++ b/kernel/printk/printk.c
@@ -361,13 +361,6 @@ static int console_msg_format = MSG_FORMAT_DEFAULT;
 /* syslog_lock protects syslog_* variables and write access to clear_seq. */
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(syslog_lock);
 
-/*
- * A flag to signify if printk_activate_kthreads() has already started the
- * kthread printers. If true, any later registered consoles must start their
- * own kthread directly. The flag is write protected by the console_lock.
- */
-static bool printk_kthreads_available;
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_PRINTK
 static atomic_t printk_prefer_direct = ATOMIC_INIT(0);
 
@@ -397,39 +390,6 @@ void printk_prefer_direct_exit(void)
 	WARN_ON(atomic_dec_if_positive(&printk_prefer_direct) < 0);
 }
 
-/*
- * Calling printk() always wakes kthread printers so that they can
- * flush the new message to their respective consoles. Also, if direct
- * printing is allowed, printk() tries to flush the messages directly.
- *
- * Direct printing is allowed in situations when the kthreads
- * are not available or the system is in a problematic state.
- *
- * See the implementation about possible races.
- */
-static inline bool allow_direct_printing(void)
-{
-	/*
-	 * Checking kthread availability is a possible race because the
-	 * kthread printers can become permanently disabled during runtime.
-	 * However, doing that requires holding the console_lock, so any
-	 * pending messages will be direct printed by console_unlock().
-	 */
-	if (!printk_kthreads_available)
-		return true;
-
-	/*
-	 * Prefer direct printing when the system is in a problematic state.
-	 * The context that sets this state will always see the updated value.
-	 * The other contexts do not care. Anyway, direct printing is just a
-	 * best effort. The direct output is only possible when console_lock
-	 * is not already taken and no kthread printers are actively printing.
-	 */
-	return (system_state > SYSTEM_RUNNING ||
-		oops_in_progress ||
-		atomic_read(&printk_prefer_direct));
-}
-
 DECLARE_WAIT_QUEUE_HEAD(log_wait);
 /* All 3 protected by @syslog_lock. */
 /* the next printk record to read by syslog(READ) or /proc/kmsg */
@@ -2320,10 +2280,10 @@ asmlinkage int vprintk_emit(int facility, int level,
 	printed_len = vprintk_store(facility, level, dev_info, fmt, args);
 
 	/* If called from the scheduler, we can not call up(). */
-	if (!in_sched && allow_direct_printing()) {
+	if (!in_sched) {
 		/*
 		 * The caller may be holding system-critical or
-		 * timing-sensitive locks. Disable preemption during direct
+		 * timing-sensitive locks. Disable preemption during
 		 * printing of all remaining records to all consoles so that
 		 * this context can return as soon as possible. Hopefully
 		 * another printk() caller will take over the printing.
@@ -2366,8 +2326,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(_printk);
 
 static bool __pr_flush(struct console *con, int timeout_ms, bool reset_on_progress);
 
-static void printk_start_kthread(struct console *con);
-
 #else /* CONFIG_PRINTK */
 
 #define CONSOLE_LOG_MAX		0
@@ -2401,8 +2359,6 @@ static void call_console_driver(struct console *con, const char *text, size_t le
 }
 static bool suppress_message_printing(int level) { return false; }
 static bool __pr_flush(struct console *con, int timeout_ms, bool reset_on_progress) { return true; }
-static void printk_start_kthread(struct console *con) { }
-static bool allow_direct_printing(void) { return true; }
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_PRINTK */
 
@@ -2603,13 +2559,6 @@ void resume_console(void)
 	down_console_sem();
 	console_suspended = 0;
 	console_unlock();
-
-	/*
-	 * While suspended, new records may have been added to the
-	 * ringbuffer. Wake up the kthread printers to print them.
-	 */
-	wake_up_klogd();
-
 	pr_flush(1000, true);
 }
 
@@ -2628,9 +2577,6 @@ static int console_cpu_notify(unsigned int cpu)
 		/* If trylock fails, someone else is doing the printing */
 		if (console_trylock())
 			console_unlock();
-
-		/* Wake kthread printers. Some may have become usable. */
-		wake_up_klogd();
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -2702,9 +2648,18 @@ static bool abandon_console_lock_in_panic(void)
 	return atomic_read(&panic_cpu) != raw_smp_processor_id();
 }
 
-static inline bool __console_is_usable(short flags)
+/*
+ * Check if the given console is currently capable and allowed to print
+ * records.
+ *
+ * Requires the console_lock.
+ */
+static inline bool console_is_usable(struct console *con)
 {
-	if (!(flags & CON_ENABLED))
+	if (!(con->flags & CON_ENABLED))
+		return false;
+
+	if (!con->write)
 		return false;
 
 	/*
@@ -2713,26 +2668,12 @@ static inline bool __console_is_usable(short flags)
 	 * cope (CON_ANYTIME) don't call them until this CPU is officially up.
 	 */
 	if (!cpu_online(raw_smp_processor_id()) &&
-	    !(flags & CON_ANYTIME))
+	    !(con->flags & CON_ANYTIME))
 		return false;
 
 	return true;
 }
 
-/*
- * Check if the given console is currently capable and allowed to print
- * records.
- *
- * Requires the console_lock.
- */
-static inline bool console_is_usable(struct console *con)
-{
-	if (!con->write)
-		return false;
-
-	return __console_is_usable(con->flags);
-}
-
 static void __console_unlock(void)
 {
 	console_locked = 0;
@@ -2845,8 +2786,8 @@ static bool console_emit_next_record(struct console *con, char *text, char *ext_
  * were flushed to all usable consoles. A returned false informs the caller
  * that everything was not flushed (either there were no usable consoles or
  * another context has taken over printing or it is a panic situation and this
- * is not the panic CPU or direct printing is not preferred). Regardless the
- * reason, the caller should assume it is not useful to immediately try again.
+ * is not the panic CPU). Regardless the reason, the caller should assume it
+ * is not useful to immediately try again.
  *
  * Requires the console_lock.
  */
@@ -2863,10 +2804,6 @@ static bool console_flush_all(bool do_cond_resched, u64 *next_seq, bool *handove
 	*handover = false;
 
 	do {
-		/* Let the kthread printers do the work if they can. */
-		if (!allow_direct_printing())
-			return false;
-
 		any_progress = false;
 
 		for_each_console(con) {
@@ -3081,10 +3018,6 @@ void console_start(struct console *console)
 	console_lock();
 	console->flags |= CON_ENABLED;
 	console_unlock();
-
-	/* Wake the newly enabled kthread printer. */
-	wake_up_klogd();
-
 	__pr_flush(console, 1000, true);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(console_start);
@@ -3285,8 +3218,6 @@ void register_console(struct console *newcon)
 		nr_ext_console_drivers++;
 
 	newcon->dropped = 0;
-	newcon->thread = NULL;
-
 	if (newcon->flags & CON_PRINTBUFFER) {
 		/* Get a consistent copy of @syslog_seq. */
 		mutex_lock(&syslog_lock);
@@ -3296,10 +3227,6 @@ void register_console(struct console *newcon)
 		/* Begin with next message. */
 		newcon->seq = prb_next_seq(prb);
 	}
-
-	if (printk_kthreads_available)
-		printk_start_kthread(newcon);
-
 	console_unlock();
 	console_sysfs_notify();
 
@@ -3326,7 +3253,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(register_console);
 
 int unregister_console(struct console *console)
 {
-	struct task_struct *thd;
 	struct console *con;
 	int res;
 
@@ -3367,20 +3293,7 @@ int unregister_console(struct console *console)
 		console_drivers->flags |= CON_CONSDEV;
 
 	console->flags &= ~CON_ENABLED;
-
-	/*
-	 * console->thread can only be cleared under the console lock. But
-	 * stopping the thread must be done without the console lock. The
-	 * task that clears @thread is the task that stops the kthread.
-	 */
-	thd = console->thread;
-	console->thread = NULL;
-
 	console_unlock();
-
-	if (thd)
-		kthread_stop(thd);
-
 	console_sysfs_notify();
 
 	if (console->exit)
@@ -3476,20 +3389,6 @@ static int __init printk_late_init(void)
 }
 late_initcall(printk_late_init);
 
-static int __init printk_activate_kthreads(void)
-{
-	struct console *con;
-
-	console_lock();
-	printk_kthreads_available = true;
-	for_each_console(con)
-		printk_start_kthread(con);
-	console_unlock();
-
-	return 0;
-}
-early_initcall(printk_activate_kthreads);
-
 #if defined CONFIG_PRINTK
 /* If @con is specified, only wait for that console. Otherwise wait for all. */
 static bool __pr_flush(struct console *con, int timeout_ms, bool reset_on_progress)
@@ -3564,180 +3463,11 @@ bool pr_flush(int timeout_ms, bool reset_on_progress)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(pr_flush);
 
-static void __printk_fallback_preferred_direct(void)
-{
-	printk_prefer_direct_enter();
-	pr_err("falling back to preferred direct printing\n");
-	printk_kthreads_available = false;
-}
-
-/*
- * Enter preferred direct printing, but never exit. Mark console threads as
- * unavailable. The system is then forever in preferred direct printing and
- * any printing threads will exit.
- *
- * Must *not* be called under console_lock. Use
- * __printk_fallback_preferred_direct() if already holding console_lock.
- */
-static void printk_fallback_preferred_direct(void)
-{
-	console_lock();
-	__printk_fallback_preferred_direct();
-	console_unlock();
-}
-
-static bool printer_should_wake(struct console *con, u64 seq)
-{
-	short flags;
-
-	if (kthread_should_stop() || !printk_kthreads_available)
-		return true;
-
-	if (console_suspended)
-		return false;
-
-	/*
-	 * This is an unsafe read from con->flags, but a false positive is
-	 * not a problem. Worst case it would allow the printer to wake up
-	 * although it is disabled. But the printer will notice that when
-	 * attempting to print and instead go back to sleep.
-	 */
-	flags = data_race(READ_ONCE(con->flags));
-
-	if (!__console_is_usable(flags))
-		return false;
-
-	return prb_read_valid(prb, seq, NULL);
-}
-
-static int printk_kthread_func(void *data)
-{
-	struct console *con = data;
-	char *dropped_text = NULL;
-	char *ext_text = NULL;
-	bool handover;
-	u64 seq = 0;
-	char *text;
-	int error;
-
-	text = kmalloc(CONSOLE_LOG_MAX, GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!text) {
-		con_printk(KERN_ERR, con, "failed to allocate text buffer\n");
-		printk_fallback_preferred_direct();
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	if (con->flags & CON_EXTENDED) {
-		ext_text = kmalloc(CONSOLE_EXT_LOG_MAX, GFP_KERNEL);
-		if (!ext_text) {
-			con_printk(KERN_ERR, con, "failed to allocate ext_text buffer\n");
-			printk_fallback_preferred_direct();
-			goto out;
-		}
-	} else {
-		dropped_text = kmalloc(DROPPED_TEXT_MAX, GFP_KERNEL);
-		if (!dropped_text) {
-			con_printk(KERN_ERR, con, "failed to allocate dropped_text buffer\n");
-			printk_fallback_preferred_direct();
-			goto out;
-		}
-	}
-
-	con_printk(KERN_INFO, con, "printing thread started\n");
-
-	for (;;) {
-		/*
-		 * Guarantee this task is visible on the waitqueue before
-		 * checking the wake condition.
-		 *
-		 * The full memory barrier within set_current_state() of
-		 * prepare_to_wait_event() pairs with the full memory barrier
-		 * within wq_has_sleeper().
-		 *
-		 * This pairs with __wake_up_klogd:A.
-		 */
-		error = wait_event_interruptible(log_wait,
-				printer_should_wake(con, seq)); /* LMM(printk_kthread_func:A) */
-
-		if (kthread_should_stop() || !printk_kthreads_available)
-			break;
-
-		if (error)
-			continue;
-
-		console_lock();
-
-		if (console_suspended) {
-			up_console_sem();
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		if (!console_is_usable(con)) {
-			__console_unlock();
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		/*
-		 * Even though the printk kthread is always preemptible, it is
-		 * still not allowed to call cond_resched() from within
-		 * console drivers. The task may become non-preemptible in the
-		 * console driver call chain. For example, vt_console_print()
-		 * takes a spinlock and then can call into fbcon_redraw(),
-		 * which can conditionally invoke cond_resched().
-		 */
-		console_may_schedule = 0;
-		console_emit_next_record(con, text, ext_text, dropped_text, &handover);
-		if (handover)
-			continue;
-
-		seq = con->seq;
-
-		__console_unlock();
-	}
-
-	con_printk(KERN_INFO, con, "printing thread stopped\n");
-out:
-	kfree(dropped_text);
-	kfree(ext_text);
-	kfree(text);
-
-	console_lock();
-	/*
-	 * If this kthread is being stopped by another task, con->thread will
-	 * already be NULL. That is fine. The important thing is that it is
-	 * NULL after the kthread exits.
-	 */
-	con->thread = NULL;
-	console_unlock();
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-/* Must be called under console_lock. */
-static void printk_start_kthread(struct console *con)
-{
-	/*
-	 * Do not start a kthread if there is no write() callback. The
-	 * kthreads assume the write() callback exists.
-	 */
-	if (!con->write)
-		return;
-
-	con->thread = kthread_run(printk_kthread_func, con,
-				  "pr/%s%d", con->name, con->index);
-	if (IS_ERR(con->thread)) {
-		con->thread = NULL;
-		con_printk(KERN_ERR, con, "unable to start printing thread\n");
-		__printk_fallback_preferred_direct();
-		return;
-	}
-}
-
 /*
  * Delayed printk version, for scheduler-internal messages:
  */
-#define PRINTK_PENDING_WAKEUP		0x01
-#define PRINTK_PENDING_DIRECT_OUTPUT	0x02
+#define PRINTK_PENDING_WAKEUP	0x01
+#define PRINTK_PENDING_OUTPUT	0x02
 
 static DEFINE_PER_CPU(int, printk_pending);
 
@@ -3745,14 +3475,10 @@ static void wake_up_klogd_work_func(struct irq_work *irq_work)
 {
 	int pending = this_cpu_xchg(printk_pending, 0);
 
-	if (pending & PRINTK_PENDING_DIRECT_OUTPUT) {
-		printk_prefer_direct_enter();
-
+	if (pending & PRINTK_PENDING_OUTPUT) {
 		/* If trylock fails, someone else is doing the printing */
 		if (console_trylock())
 			console_unlock();
-
-		printk_prefer_direct_exit();
 	}
 
 	if (pending & PRINTK_PENDING_WAKEUP)
@@ -3777,11 +3503,10 @@ static void __wake_up_klogd(int val)
 	 * prepare_to_wait_event(), which is called after ___wait_event() adds
 	 * the waiter but before it has checked the wait condition.
 	 *
-	 * This pairs with devkmsg_read:A, syslog_print:A, and
-	 * printk_kthread_func:A.
+	 * This pairs with devkmsg_read:A and syslog_print:A.
 	 */
 	if (wq_has_sleeper(&log_wait) || /* LMM(__wake_up_klogd:A) */
-	    (val & PRINTK_PENDING_DIRECT_OUTPUT)) {
+	    (val & PRINTK_PENDING_OUTPUT)) {
 		this_cpu_or(printk_pending, val);
 		irq_work_queue(this_cpu_ptr(&wake_up_klogd_work));
 	}
@@ -3799,17 +3524,7 @@ void defer_console_output(void)
 	 * New messages may have been added directly to the ringbuffer
 	 * using vprintk_store(), so wake any waiters as well.
 	 */
-	int val = PRINTK_PENDING_WAKEUP;
-
-	/*
-	 * Make sure that some context will print the messages when direct
-	 * printing is allowed. This happens in situations when the kthreads
-	 * may not be as reliable or perhaps unusable.
-	 */
-	if (allow_direct_printing())
-		val |= PRINTK_PENDING_DIRECT_OUTPUT;
-
-	__wake_up_klogd(val);
+	__wake_up_klogd(PRINTK_PENDING_WAKEUP | PRINTK_PENDING_OUTPUT);
 }
 
 void printk_trigger_flush(void)
