diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index 557efca75a74c..0a29b856786e7 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -3323,11 +3323,7 @@ struct softnet_data {
 	int			defer_count;
 	int			defer_ipi_scheduled;
 	struct sk_buff		*defer_list;
-#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
 	call_single_data_t	defer_csd;
-#else
-	struct work_struct	defer_work;
-#endif
 };
 
 static inline void input_queue_head_incr(struct softnet_data *sd)
@@ -3369,6 +3365,7 @@ static inline void dev_xmit_recursion_dec(void)
 	__this_cpu_dec(softnet_data.xmit.recursion);
 }
 
+void kick_defer_list_purge(struct softnet_data *sd, unsigned int cpu);
 void __netif_schedule(struct Qdisc *q);
 void netif_schedule_queue(struct netdev_queue *txq);
 
diff --git a/include/linux/perf_event.h b/include/linux/perf_event.h
index d2a15c0c6f8a9..c1c6600541657 100644
--- a/include/linux/perf_event.h
+++ b/include/linux/perf_event.h
@@ -781,9 +781,9 @@ struct perf_event {
 	unsigned int			pending_wakeup;
 	unsigned int			pending_kill;
 	unsigned int			pending_disable;
-	unsigned int			pending_sigtrap;
 	unsigned long			pending_addr;	/* SIGTRAP */
 	struct irq_work			pending_irq;
+	struct irq_work			pending_disable_irq;
 	struct callback_head		pending_task;
 	unsigned int			pending_work;
 
@@ -959,7 +959,7 @@ struct perf_event_context {
 	struct rcu_head			rcu_head;
 
 	/*
-	 * Sum (event->pending_sigtrap + event->pending_work)
+	 * Sum (event->pending_work + event->pending_work)
 	 *
 	 * The SIGTRAP is targeted at ctx->task, as such it won't do changing
 	 * that until the signal is delivered.
diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index f0f0f71213a1d..d5af4d03c2680 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -2283,21 +2283,6 @@ event_sched_out(struct perf_event *event, struct perf_event_context *ctx)
 		state = PERF_EVENT_STATE_OFF;
 	}
 
-	if (event->pending_sigtrap) {
-		bool dec = true;
-
-		event->pending_sigtrap = 0;
-		if (state != PERF_EVENT_STATE_OFF &&
-		    !event->pending_work) {
-			event->pending_work = 1;
-			dec = false;
-			WARN_ON_ONCE(!atomic_long_inc_not_zero(&event->refcount));
-			task_work_add(current, &event->pending_task, TWA_RESUME);
-		}
-		if (dec)
-			local_dec(&event->ctx->nr_pending);
-	}
-
 	perf_event_set_state(event, state);
 
 	if (!is_software_event(event))
@@ -2464,7 +2449,7 @@ static void __perf_event_disable(struct perf_event *event,
  * hold the top-level event's child_mutex, so any descendant that
  * goes to exit will block in perf_event_exit_event().
  *
- * When called from perf_pending_irq it's OK because event->ctx
+ * When called from perf_pending_disable it's OK because event->ctx
  * is the current context on this CPU and preemption is disabled,
  * hence we can't get into perf_event_task_sched_out for this context.
  */
@@ -2504,7 +2489,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(perf_event_disable);
 void perf_event_disable_inatomic(struct perf_event *event)
 {
 	event->pending_disable = 1;
-	irq_work_queue(&event->pending_irq);
+	irq_work_queue(&event->pending_disable_irq);
 }
 
 #define MAX_INTERRUPTS (~0ULL)
@@ -5190,6 +5175,7 @@ static void perf_addr_filters_splice(struct perf_event *event,
 static void _free_event(struct perf_event *event)
 {
 	irq_work_sync(&event->pending_irq);
+	irq_work_sync(&event->pending_disable_irq);
 
 	unaccount_event(event);
 
@@ -6726,7 +6712,7 @@ static void perf_sigtrap(struct perf_event *event)
 /*
  * Deliver the pending work in-event-context or follow the context.
  */
-static void __perf_pending_irq(struct perf_event *event)
+static void __perf_pending_disable(struct perf_event *event)
 {
 	int cpu = READ_ONCE(event->oncpu);
 
@@ -6741,11 +6727,6 @@ static void __perf_pending_irq(struct perf_event *event)
 	 * Yay, we hit home and are in the context of the event.
 	 */
 	if (cpu == smp_processor_id()) {
-		if (event->pending_sigtrap) {
-			event->pending_sigtrap = 0;
-			perf_sigtrap(event);
-			local_dec(&event->ctx->nr_pending);
-		}
 		if (event->pending_disable) {
 			event->pending_disable = 0;
 			perf_event_disable_local(event);
@@ -6769,11 +6750,26 @@ static void __perf_pending_irq(struct perf_event *event)
 	 *				  irq_work_queue(); // FAILS
 	 *
 	 *  irq_work_run()
-	 *    perf_pending_irq()
+	 *    perf_pending_disable()
 	 *
 	 * But the event runs on CPU-B and wants disabling there.
 	 */
-	irq_work_queue_on(&event->pending_irq, cpu);
+	irq_work_queue_on(&event->pending_disable_irq, cpu);
+}
+
+static void perf_pending_disable(struct irq_work *entry)
+{
+	struct perf_event *event = container_of(entry, struct perf_event, pending_disable_irq);
+	int rctx;
+
+	/*
+	 * If we 'fail' here, that's OK, it means recursion is already disabled
+	 * and we won't recurse 'further'.
+	 */
+	rctx = perf_swevent_get_recursion_context();
+	__perf_pending_disable(event);
+	if (rctx >= 0)
+		perf_swevent_put_recursion_context(rctx);
 }
 
 static void perf_pending_irq(struct irq_work *entry)
@@ -6796,8 +6792,6 @@ static void perf_pending_irq(struct irq_work *entry)
 		perf_event_wakeup(event);
 	}
 
-	__perf_pending_irq(event);
-
 	if (rctx >= 0)
 		perf_swevent_put_recursion_context(rctx);
 }
@@ -6805,14 +6799,6 @@ static void perf_pending_irq(struct irq_work *entry)
 static void perf_pending_task(struct callback_head *head)
 {
 	struct perf_event *event = container_of(head, struct perf_event, pending_task);
-	int rctx;
-
-	/*
-	 * If we 'fail' here, that's OK, it means recursion is already disabled
-	 * and we won't recurse 'further'.
-	 */
-	preempt_disable_notrace();
-	rctx = perf_swevent_get_recursion_context();
 
 	if (event->pending_work) {
 		event->pending_work = 0;
@@ -6820,10 +6806,6 @@ static void perf_pending_task(struct callback_head *head)
 		local_dec(&event->ctx->nr_pending);
 	}
 
-	if (rctx >= 0)
-		perf_swevent_put_recursion_context(rctx);
-	preempt_enable_notrace();
-
 	put_event(event);
 }
 
@@ -9592,13 +9574,23 @@ static int __perf_event_overflow(struct perf_event *event,
 
 		if (regs)
 			pending_id = hash32_ptr((void *)instruction_pointer(regs)) ?: 1;
-		if (!event->pending_sigtrap) {
-			event->pending_sigtrap = pending_id;
+		if (!event->pending_work) {
+			event->pending_work = pending_id;
 			local_inc(&event->ctx->nr_pending);
+			WARN_ON_ONCE(!atomic_long_inc_not_zero(&event->refcount));
+			task_work_add(current, &event->pending_task, TWA_RESUME);
+			/*
+			 * The NMI path returns directly to userland. The
+			 * irq_work is raised as a dummy interrupt to ensure
+			 * regular return path to user is taken and task_work
+			 * is processed.
+			 */
+			if (in_nmi())
+				irq_work_queue(&event->pending_disable_irq);
 		} else if (event->attr.exclude_kernel && valid_sample) {
 			/*
 			 * Should not be able to return to user space without
-			 * consuming pending_sigtrap; with exceptions:
+			 * consuming pending_work; with exceptions:
 			 *
 			 *  1. Where !exclude_kernel, events can overflow again
 			 *     in the kernel without returning to user space.
@@ -9608,13 +9600,12 @@ static int __perf_event_overflow(struct perf_event *event,
 			 *     To approximate progress (with false negatives),
 			 *     check 32-bit hash of the current IP.
 			 */
-			WARN_ON_ONCE(event->pending_sigtrap != pending_id);
+			WARN_ON_ONCE(event->pending_work != pending_id);
 		}
 
 		event->pending_addr = 0;
 		if (valid_sample && (data->sample_flags & PERF_SAMPLE_ADDR))
 			event->pending_addr = data->addr;
-		irq_work_queue(&event->pending_irq);
 	}
 
 	READ_ONCE(event->overflow_handler)(event, data, regs);
@@ -11935,6 +11926,7 @@ perf_event_alloc(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int cpu,
 
 	init_waitqueue_head(&event->waitq);
 	init_irq_work(&event->pending_irq, perf_pending_irq);
+	event->pending_disable_irq = IRQ_WORK_INIT_HARD(perf_pending_disable);
 	init_task_work(&event->pending_task, perf_pending_task);
 
 	mutex_init(&event->mmap_mutex);
@@ -13049,6 +13041,13 @@ static void sync_child_event(struct perf_event *child_event)
 		     &parent_event->child_total_time_running);
 }
 
+static bool task_work_cb_match(struct callback_head *cb, void *data)
+{
+	struct perf_event *event = container_of(cb, struct perf_event, pending_task);
+
+	return event == data;
+}
+
 static void
 perf_event_exit_event(struct perf_event *event, struct perf_event_context *ctx)
 {
@@ -13088,6 +13087,17 @@ perf_event_exit_event(struct perf_event *event, struct perf_event_context *ctx)
 		 * Kick perf_poll() for is_event_hup();
 		 */
 		perf_event_wakeup(parent_event);
+		/*
+		 * Cancel pending task_work and update counters if it has not
+		 * yet been delivered to userland. free_event() expects the
+		 * reference counter at 1 and keeping the event around until the
+		 * task return to userland will be a unexpected.
+		 */
+		if (event->pending_work &&
+		    task_work_cancel_match(current, task_work_cb_match, event)) {
+			put_event(event);
+			local_dec(&event->ctx->nr_pending);
+		}
 		free_event(event);
 		put_event(parent_event);
 		return;
diff --git a/localversion-rt b/localversion-rt
index 045478966e9f1..700c857efd9ba 100644
--- a/localversion-rt
+++ b/localversion-rt
@@ -1 +1 @@
--rt7
+-rt8
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index df102ed8622c9..9e66559611e73 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/sched.h>
 #include <linux/sched/mm.h>
+#include <linux/smpboot.h>
 #include <linux/mutex.h>
 #include <linux/rwsem.h>
 #include <linux/string.h>
@@ -216,35 +217,60 @@ static inline struct hlist_head *dev_index_hash(struct net *net, int ifindex)
 	return &net->dev_index_head[ifindex & (NETDEV_HASHENTRIES - 1)];
 }
 
-static inline void rps_lock_irqsave(struct softnet_data *sd,
-				    unsigned long *flags)
+#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
+
+static DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_FALSE(use_backlog_threads_key);
+
+static int __init setup_backlog_napi_threads(char *arg)
 {
-	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RPS))
+	static_branch_enable(&use_backlog_threads_key);
+	return 0;
+}
+early_param("thread_backlog_napi", setup_backlog_napi_threads);
+
+static bool use_backlog_threads(void)
+{
+	return static_branch_unlikely(&use_backlog_threads_key);
+}
+
+#else
+
+static bool use_backlog_threads(void)
+{
+	return true;
+}
+
+#endif
+
+static inline void backlog_lock_irq_save(struct softnet_data *sd,
+					 unsigned long *flags)
+{
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RPS) || use_backlog_threads())
 		spin_lock_irqsave(&sd->input_pkt_queue.lock, *flags);
 	else if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT))
 		local_irq_save(*flags);
 }
 
-static inline void rps_lock_irq_disable(struct softnet_data *sd)
+static inline void backlog_lock_irq_disable(struct softnet_data *sd)
 {
-	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RPS))
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RPS) || use_backlog_threads())
 		spin_lock_irq(&sd->input_pkt_queue.lock);
 	else if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT))
 		local_irq_disable();
 }
 
-static inline void rps_unlock_irq_restore(struct softnet_data *sd,
-					  unsigned long *flags)
+static inline void backlog_unlock_irq_restore(struct softnet_data *sd,
+					      unsigned long *flags)
 {
-	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RPS))
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RPS) || use_backlog_threads())
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&sd->input_pkt_queue.lock, *flags);
 	else if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT))
 		local_irq_restore(*flags);
 }
 
-static inline void rps_unlock_irq_enable(struct softnet_data *sd)
+static inline void backlog_unlock_irq_enable(struct softnet_data *sd)
 {
-	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RPS))
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RPS) || use_backlog_threads())
 		spin_unlock_irq(&sd->input_pkt_queue.lock);
 	else if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT))
 		local_irq_enable();
@@ -4420,6 +4446,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(__dev_direct_xmit);
 /*************************************************************************
  *			Receiver routines
  *************************************************************************/
+static DEFINE_PER_CPU(struct task_struct *, backlog_napi);
 
 int netdev_max_backlog __read_mostly = 1000;
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(netdev_max_backlog);
@@ -4452,18 +4479,16 @@ static inline void ____napi_schedule(struct softnet_data *sd,
 		 */
 		thread = READ_ONCE(napi->thread);
 		if (thread) {
-			/* Avoid doing set_bit() if the thread is in
-			 * INTERRUPTIBLE state, cause napi_thread_wait()
-			 * makes sure to proceed with napi polling
-			 * if the thread is explicitly woken from here.
-			 */
-			if (READ_ONCE(thread->__state) != TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE)
-				set_bit(NAPI_STATE_SCHED_THREADED, &napi->state);
+			if (use_backlog_threads() && thread == raw_cpu_read(backlog_napi))
+				goto use_local_napi;
+
+			set_bit(NAPI_STATE_SCHED_THREADED, &napi->state);
 			wake_up_process(thread);
 			return;
 		}
 	}
 
+use_local_napi:
 	list_add_tail(&napi->poll_list, &sd->poll_list);
 	WRITE_ONCE(napi->list_owner, smp_processor_id());
 	/* If not called from net_rx_action()
@@ -4684,6 +4709,15 @@ static void rps_trigger_softirq(void *data)
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_RPS */
 
+/* Called from hardirq (IPI) context */
+static void trigger_rx_softirq(void *data)
+{
+	struct softnet_data *sd = data;
+
+	__raise_softirq_irqoff(NET_RX_SOFTIRQ);
+	smp_store_release(&sd->defer_ipi_scheduled, 0);
+}
+
 /*
  * After we queued a packet into sd->input_pkt_queue,
  * we need to make sure this queue is serviced soon.
@@ -4700,6 +4734,11 @@ static void napi_schedule_rps(struct softnet_data *sd)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_RPS
 	if (sd != mysd) {
+		if (use_backlog_threads()) {
+			__napi_schedule_irqoff(&sd->backlog);
+			return;
+		}
+
 		sd->rps_ipi_next = mysd->rps_ipi_list;
 		mysd->rps_ipi_list = sd;
 
@@ -4714,6 +4753,23 @@ static void napi_schedule_rps(struct softnet_data *sd)
 	__napi_schedule_irqoff(&mysd->backlog);
 }
 
+void kick_defer_list_purge(struct softnet_data *sd, unsigned int cpu)
+{
+	unsigned long flags;
+
+	if (use_backlog_threads()) {
+		backlog_lock_irq_save(sd, &flags);
+
+		if (!__test_and_set_bit(NAPI_STATE_SCHED, &sd->backlog.state))
+			__napi_schedule_irqoff(&sd->backlog);
+
+		backlog_unlock_irq_restore(sd, &flags);
+
+	} else if (!cmpxchg(&sd->defer_ipi_scheduled, 0, 1)) {
+		smp_call_function_single_async(cpu, &sd->defer_csd);
+	}
+}
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_FLOW_LIMIT
 int netdev_flow_limit_table_len __read_mostly = (1 << 12);
 #endif
@@ -4769,7 +4825,7 @@ static int enqueue_to_backlog(struct sk_buff *skb, int cpu,
 	reason = SKB_DROP_REASON_NOT_SPECIFIED;
 	sd = &per_cpu(softnet_data, cpu);
 
-	rps_lock_irqsave(sd, &flags);
+	backlog_lock_irq_save(sd, &flags);
 	if (!netif_running(skb->dev))
 		goto drop;
 	qlen = skb_queue_len(&sd->input_pkt_queue);
@@ -4778,7 +4834,7 @@ static int enqueue_to_backlog(struct sk_buff *skb, int cpu,
 enqueue:
 			__skb_queue_tail(&sd->input_pkt_queue, skb);
 			input_queue_tail_incr_save(sd, qtail);
-			rps_unlock_irq_restore(sd, &flags);
+			backlog_unlock_irq_restore(sd, &flags);
 			return NET_RX_SUCCESS;
 		}
 
@@ -4793,7 +4849,7 @@ static int enqueue_to_backlog(struct sk_buff *skb, int cpu,
 
 drop:
 	sd->dropped++;
-	rps_unlock_irq_restore(sd, &flags);
+	backlog_unlock_irq_restore(sd, &flags);
 
 	dev_core_stats_rx_dropped_inc(skb->dev);
 	kfree_skb_reason(skb, reason);
@@ -5824,7 +5880,7 @@ static void flush_backlog(struct work_struct *work)
 	local_bh_disable();
 	sd = this_cpu_ptr(&softnet_data);
 
-	rps_lock_irq_disable(sd);
+	backlog_lock_irq_disable(sd);
 	skb_queue_walk_safe(&sd->input_pkt_queue, skb, tmp) {
 		if (skb->dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNREGISTERING) {
 			__skb_unlink(skb, &sd->input_pkt_queue);
@@ -5832,7 +5888,7 @@ static void flush_backlog(struct work_struct *work)
 			input_queue_head_incr(sd);
 		}
 	}
-	rps_unlock_irq_enable(sd);
+	backlog_unlock_irq_enable(sd);
 
 	skb_queue_walk_safe(&sd->process_queue, skb, tmp) {
 		if (skb->dev->reg_state == NETREG_UNREGISTERING) {
@@ -5850,14 +5906,14 @@ static bool flush_required(int cpu)
 	struct softnet_data *sd = &per_cpu(softnet_data, cpu);
 	bool do_flush;
 
-	rps_lock_irq_disable(sd);
+	backlog_lock_irq_disable(sd);
 
 	/* as insertion into process_queue happens with the rps lock held,
 	 * process_queue access may race only with dequeue
 	 */
 	do_flush = !skb_queue_empty(&sd->input_pkt_queue) ||
 		   !skb_queue_empty_lockless(&sd->process_queue);
-	rps_unlock_irq_enable(sd);
+	backlog_unlock_irq_enable(sd);
 
 	return do_flush;
 #endif
@@ -5923,7 +5979,7 @@ static void net_rps_action_and_irq_enable(struct softnet_data *sd)
 #ifdef CONFIG_RPS
 	struct softnet_data *remsd = sd->rps_ipi_list;
 
-	if (remsd) {
+	if (!use_backlog_threads() && remsd) {
 		sd->rps_ipi_list = NULL;
 
 		local_irq_enable();
@@ -5938,7 +5994,7 @@ static void net_rps_action_and_irq_enable(struct softnet_data *sd)
 static bool sd_has_rps_ipi_waiting(struct softnet_data *sd)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_RPS
-	return sd->rps_ipi_list != NULL;
+	return !use_backlog_threads() && sd->rps_ipi_list;
 #else
 	return false;
 #endif
@@ -5972,7 +6028,7 @@ static int process_backlog(struct napi_struct *napi, int quota)
 
 		}
 
-		rps_lock_irq_disable(sd);
+		backlog_lock_irq_disable(sd);
 		if (skb_queue_empty(&sd->input_pkt_queue)) {
 			/*
 			 * Inline a custom version of __napi_complete().
@@ -5982,13 +6038,13 @@ static int process_backlog(struct napi_struct *napi, int quota)
 			 * We can use a plain write instead of clear_bit(),
 			 * and we dont need an smp_mb() memory barrier.
 			 */
-			napi->state = 0;
+			napi->state &= NAPIF_STATE_THREADED;
 			again = false;
 		} else {
 			skb_queue_splice_tail_init(&sd->input_pkt_queue,
 						   &sd->process_queue);
 		}
-		rps_unlock_irq_enable(sd);
+		backlog_unlock_irq_enable(sd);
 	}
 
 	return work;
@@ -6645,8 +6701,6 @@ static int napi_poll(struct napi_struct *n, struct list_head *repoll)
 
 static int napi_thread_wait(struct napi_struct *napi)
 {
-	bool woken = false;
-
 	set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
 
 	while (!kthread_should_stop()) {
@@ -6655,15 +6709,13 @@ static int napi_thread_wait(struct napi_struct *napi)
 		 * Testing SCHED bit is not enough because SCHED bit might be
 		 * set by some other busy poll thread or by napi_disable().
 		 */
-		if (test_bit(NAPI_STATE_SCHED_THREADED, &napi->state) || woken) {
+		if (test_bit(NAPI_STATE_SCHED_THREADED, &napi->state)) {
 			WARN_ON(!list_empty(&napi->poll_list));
 			__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
 			return 0;
 		}
 
 		schedule();
-		/* woken being true indicates this thread owns this napi. */
-		woken = true;
 		set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
 	}
 	__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
@@ -6692,66 +6744,46 @@ static void skb_defer_free_flush(struct softnet_data *sd)
 	}
 }
 
-#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
-
-/* Called from hardirq (IPI) context */
-static void trigger_rx_softirq(void *data)
-{
-	struct softnet_data *sd = data;
-
-	__raise_softirq_irqoff(NET_RX_SOFTIRQ);
-	smp_store_release(&sd->defer_ipi_scheduled, 0);
-}
-
-#else
-
-static void trigger_rx_softirq(struct work_struct *defer_work)
+static void napi_threaded_poll_loop(struct napi_struct *napi)
 {
 	struct softnet_data *sd;
 
-	sd = container_of(defer_work, struct softnet_data, defer_work);
-	smp_store_release(&sd->defer_ipi_scheduled, 0);
-	local_bh_disable();
-	skb_defer_free_flush(sd);
-	local_bh_enable();
-}
+	for (;;) {
+		bool repoll = false;
+		void *have;
 
-#endif
+		local_bh_disable();
+		sd = this_cpu_ptr(&softnet_data);
+		sd->in_napi_threaded_poll = true;
+
+		have = netpoll_poll_lock(napi);
+		__napi_poll(napi, &repoll);
+		netpoll_poll_unlock(have);
+
+		sd->in_napi_threaded_poll = false;
+		barrier();
+
+		if (sd_has_rps_ipi_waiting(sd)) {
+			local_irq_disable();
+			net_rps_action_and_irq_enable(sd);
+		}
+		skb_defer_free_flush(sd);
+		local_bh_enable();
+
+		if (!repoll)
+			break;
+
+		cond_resched();
+	}
+}
 
 static int napi_threaded_poll(void *data)
 {
 	struct napi_struct *napi = data;
-	struct softnet_data *sd;
-	void *have;
 
-	while (!napi_thread_wait(napi)) {
-		for (;;) {
-			bool repoll = false;
+	while (!napi_thread_wait(napi))
+		napi_threaded_poll_loop(napi);
 
-			local_bh_disable();
-			sd = this_cpu_ptr(&softnet_data);
-			sd->in_napi_threaded_poll = true;
-
-			have = netpoll_poll_lock(napi);
-			__napi_poll(napi, &repoll);
-			netpoll_poll_unlock(have);
-
-			sd->in_napi_threaded_poll = false;
-			barrier();
-
-			if (sd_has_rps_ipi_waiting(sd)) {
-				local_irq_disable();
-				net_rps_action_and_irq_enable(sd);
-			}
-			skb_defer_free_flush(sd);
-			local_bh_enable();
-
-			if (!repoll)
-				break;
-
-			cond_resched();
-		}
-	}
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -11350,7 +11382,7 @@ static int dev_cpu_dead(unsigned int oldcpu)
 
 		list_del_init(&napi->poll_list);
 		if (napi->poll == process_backlog)
-			napi->state = 0;
+			napi->state &= NAPIF_STATE_THREADED;
 		else
 			____napi_schedule(sd, napi);
 	}
@@ -11358,12 +11390,14 @@ static int dev_cpu_dead(unsigned int oldcpu)
 	raise_softirq_irqoff(NET_TX_SOFTIRQ);
 	local_irq_enable();
 
+	if (!use_backlog_threads()) {
 #ifdef CONFIG_RPS
-	remsd = oldsd->rps_ipi_list;
-	oldsd->rps_ipi_list = NULL;
+		remsd = oldsd->rps_ipi_list;
+		oldsd->rps_ipi_list = NULL;
 #endif
-	/* send out pending IPI's on offline CPU */
-	net_rps_send_ipi(remsd);
+		/* send out pending IPI's on offline CPU */
+		net_rps_send_ipi(remsd);
+	}
 
 	/* Process offline CPU's input_pkt_queue */
 	while ((skb = __skb_dequeue(&oldsd->process_queue))) {
@@ -11682,6 +11716,38 @@ static void __init net_dev_struct_check(void)
  *
  */
 
+static int backlog_napi_should_run(unsigned int cpu)
+{
+	struct softnet_data *sd = per_cpu_ptr(&softnet_data, cpu);
+	struct napi_struct *napi = &sd->backlog;
+
+	return test_bit(NAPI_STATE_SCHED_THREADED, &napi->state);
+}
+
+static void run_backlog_napi(unsigned int cpu)
+{
+	struct softnet_data *sd = per_cpu_ptr(&softnet_data, cpu);
+
+	napi_threaded_poll_loop(&sd->backlog);
+}
+
+static void backlog_napi_setup(unsigned int cpu)
+{
+	struct softnet_data *sd = per_cpu_ptr(&softnet_data, cpu);
+	struct napi_struct *napi = &sd->backlog;
+
+	napi->thread = this_cpu_read(backlog_napi);
+	set_bit(NAPI_STATE_THREADED, &napi->state);
+}
+
+static struct smp_hotplug_thread backlog_threads = {
+	.store			= &backlog_napi,
+	.thread_should_run	= backlog_napi_should_run,
+	.thread_fn		= run_backlog_napi,
+	.thread_comm		= "backlog_napi/%u",
+	.setup			= backlog_napi_setup,
+};
+
 /*
  *       This is called single threaded during boot, so no need
  *       to take the rtnl semaphore.
@@ -11728,17 +11794,16 @@ static int __init net_dev_init(void)
 		INIT_CSD(&sd->csd, rps_trigger_softirq, sd);
 		sd->cpu = i;
 #endif
-#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
 		INIT_CSD(&sd->defer_csd, trigger_rx_softirq, sd);
-#else
-		INIT_WORK(&sd->defer_work, trigger_rx_softirq);
-#endif
 		spin_lock_init(&sd->defer_lock);
 
 		init_gro_hash(&sd->backlog);
 		sd->backlog.poll = process_backlog;
 		sd->backlog.weight = weight_p;
+		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&sd->backlog.poll_list);
 	}
+	if (use_backlog_threads())
+		smpboot_register_percpu_thread(&backlog_threads);
 
 	dev_boot_phase = 0;
 
diff --git a/net/core/skbuff.c b/net/core/skbuff.c
index 633da914cc499..bd4985ff5717a 100644
--- a/net/core/skbuff.c
+++ b/net/core/skbuff.c
@@ -6921,13 +6921,8 @@ nodefer:	__kfree_skb(skb);
 	/* Make sure to trigger NET_RX_SOFTIRQ on the remote CPU
 	 * if we are unlucky enough (this seems very unlikely).
 	 */
-	if (unlikely(kick) && !cmpxchg(&sd->defer_ipi_scheduled, 0, 1)) {
-#ifndef CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT
-		smp_call_function_single_async(cpu, &sd->defer_csd);
-#else
-		schedule_work_on(cpu, &sd->defer_work);
-#endif
-	}
+	if (unlikely(kick))
+		kick_defer_list_purge(sd, cpu);
 }
 
 static void skb_splice_csum_page(struct sk_buff *skb, struct page *page,
