diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index b2975e44dffa..7d231bbd1659 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -1500,7 +1500,7 @@ static void wq_update_node_max_active(struct workqueue_struct *wq, int off_cpu)
 
 	lockdep_assert_held(&wq->mutex);
 
-	if (!cpumask_test_cpu(off_cpu, effective))
+	if (off_cpu >= 0 && !cpumask_test_cpu(off_cpu, effective))
 		off_cpu = -1;
 
 	total_cpus = cpumask_weight_and(effective, cpu_online_mask);