diff --git a/include/sys/vdev_file.h b/include/sys/vdev_file.h
index aebcf55cf..9a398c583 100644
--- a/include/sys/vdev_file.h
+++ b/include/sys/vdev_file.h
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ typedef struct vdev_file {
 	vnode_t		*vf_vnode;
 } vdev_file_t;
 
+extern void vdev_file_init(void);
+extern void vdev_file_fini(void);
+
 #ifdef	__cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/module/zfs/spa_misc.c b/module/zfs/spa_misc.c
index b022c236b..73f40a583 100644
--- a/module/zfs/spa_misc.c
+++ b/module/zfs/spa_misc.c
@@ -1839,6 +1839,7 @@ spa_init(int mode)
 	zil_init();
 	vdev_cache_stat_init();
 	vdev_raidz_math_init();
+	vdev_file_init();
 	zfs_prop_init();
 	zpool_prop_init();
 	zpool_feature_init();
@@ -1853,6 +1854,7 @@ spa_fini(void)
 
 	spa_evict_all();
 
+	vdev_file_fini();
 	vdev_cache_stat_fini();
 	vdev_raidz_math_fini();
 	zil_fini();
diff --git a/module/zfs/vdev_file.c b/module/zfs/vdev_file.c
index c78f2f421..54a50c318 100644
--- a/module/zfs/vdev_file.c
+++ b/module/zfs/vdev_file.c
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
  * Virtual device vector for files.
  */
 
+static taskq_t *vdev_file_taskq;
+
 static void
 vdev_file_hold(vdev_t *vd)
 {
@@ -212,7 +214,7 @@ vdev_file_io_start(zio_t *zio)
 			 * the sync must be dispatched to a different context.
 			 */
 			if (spl_fstrans_check()) {
-				VERIFY3U(taskq_dispatch(system_taskq,
+				VERIFY3U(taskq_dispatch(vdev_file_taskq,
 				    vdev_file_io_fsync, zio, TQ_SLEEP), !=,
 				    TASKQID_INVALID);
 				return;
@@ -231,7 +233,7 @@ vdev_file_io_start(zio_t *zio)
 
 	zio->io_target_timestamp = zio_handle_io_delay(zio);
 
-	VERIFY3U(taskq_dispatch(system_taskq, vdev_file_io_strategy, zio,
+	VERIFY3U(taskq_dispatch(vdev_file_taskq, vdev_file_io_strategy, zio,
 	    TQ_SLEEP), !=, TASKQID_INVALID);
 }
 
@@ -254,6 +256,21 @@ vdev_ops_t vdev_file_ops = {
 	B_TRUE			/* leaf vdev */
 };
 
+void
+vdev_file_init(void)
+{
+	vdev_file_taskq = taskq_create("z_vdev_file", MAX(boot_ncpus, 16),
+	    minclsyspri, boot_ncpus, INT_MAX, TASKQ_DYNAMIC);
+
+	VERIFY(vdev_file_taskq);
+}
+
+void
+vdev_file_fini(void)
+{
+	taskq_destroy(vdev_file_taskq);
+}
+
 /*
  * From userland we access disks just like files.
  */