diff --git a/module/zfs/zfs_znode.c b/module/zfs/zfs_znode.c
index c931a72c3..0c0091f04 100644
--- a/module/zfs/zfs_znode.c
+++ b/module/zfs/zfs_znode.c
@@ -147,12 +147,14 @@ void
 zfs_znode_init(void)
 {
 	/*
-	 * Initialize zcache
+	 * Initialize zcache.  The KMC_SLAB hint is used in order that it be
+	 * backed by kmalloc() when on the Linux slab in order that any
+	 * wait_on_bit() operations on the related inode operate properly.
 	 */
 	ASSERT(znode_cache == NULL);
 	znode_cache = kmem_cache_create("zfs_znode_cache",
 	    sizeof (znode_t), 0, zfs_znode_cache_constructor,
-	    zfs_znode_cache_destructor, NULL, NULL, NULL, KMC_KMEM);
+	    zfs_znode_cache_destructor, NULL, NULL, NULL, KMC_SLAB);
 }
 
 void