diff --git a/init/main.c b/init/main.c
index a8a58e2..5c4fd68 100644
--- a/init/main.c
+++ b/init/main.c
@@ -551,6 +551,14 @@
 		 "Interrupts were enabled *very* early, fixing it\n"))
 		local_irq_disable();
 	idr_init_cache();
+
+	/*
+	 * Allow workqueue creation and work item queueing/cancelling
+	 * early.  Work item execution depends on kthreads and starts after
+	 * workqueue_init().
+	 */
+	workqueue_init_early();
+
 	rcu_init();
 
 	/* trace_printk() and trace points may be used after this */
@@ -1005,6 +1013,8 @@
 
 	smp_prepare_cpus(setup_max_cpus);
 
+	workqueue_init();
+
 	do_pre_smp_initcalls();
 	lockup_detector_init();