diff --git a/io_uring/io_uring.c b/io_uring/io_uring.c
index c406f5d4c248..b2736e3491b8 100644
--- a/io_uring/io_uring.c
+++ b/io_uring/io_uring.c
@@ -2041,7 +2041,7 @@ static int io_init_req(struct io_ring_ctx *ctx, struct io_kiocb *req,
 	req->opcode = opcode = READ_ONCE(sqe->opcode);
 	/* same numerical values with corresponding REQ_F_*, safe to copy */
 	sqe_flags = READ_ONCE(sqe->flags);
-	req->flags = (io_req_flags_t) sqe_flags;
+	req->flags = (__force io_req_flags_t) sqe_flags;
 	req->cqe.user_data = READ_ONCE(sqe->user_data);
 	req->file = NULL;
 	req->rsrc_node = NULL;