diff --git a/module/spl/spl-zlib.c b/module/spl/spl-zlib.c
index 7bed00ca4..4f88cb4e0 100644
--- a/module/spl/spl-zlib.c
+++ b/module/spl/spl-zlib.c
@@ -205,8 +205,10 @@ spl_zlib_init(void)
 	size = MAX(spl_zlib_deflate_workspacesize(MAX_WBITS, MAX_MEM_LEVEL),
 	    zlib_inflate_workspacesize());
 
-	zlib_workspace_cache = kmem_cache_create("spl_zlib_workspace_cache",
-	    size, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, KMC_VMEM);
+	zlib_workspace_cache = kmem_cache_create(
+	    "spl_zlib_workspace_cache",
+	    size, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
+	    KMC_VMEM | KMC_NOEMERGENCY);
         if (!zlib_workspace_cache)
 		SRETURN(1);