diff --git a/net/ipv6/route.c b/net/ipv6/route.c
index 4d02a329ab6004..03be0e6b482652 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/route.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/route.c
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ static void rt6_probe(struct fib6_nh *fib6_nh)
 	} else {
 		INIT_WORK(&work->work, rt6_probe_deferred);
 		work->target = *nh_gw;
-		dev_hold_track(dev, &work->dev_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
+		dev_hold_track(dev, &work->dev_tracker, GFP_ATOMIC);
 		work->dev = dev;
 		schedule_work(&work->work);
 	}