diff --git a/fs/io-wq.c b/fs/io-wq.c
index ec7f1106b659..b53f569b5b4e 100644
--- a/fs/io-wq.c
+++ b/fs/io-wq.c
@@ -13,12 +13,9 @@
 #include <linux/sched/mm.h>
 #include <linux/percpu.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
-#include <linux/kthread.h>
 #include <linux/rculist_nulls.h>
-#include <linux/fs_struct.h>
-#include <linux/blk-cgroup.h>
-#include <linux/audit.h>
 #include <linux/cpu.h>
+#include <linux/tracehook.h>
 
 #include "../kernel/sched/sched.h"
 #include "io-wq.h"
@@ -57,13 +54,6 @@ struct io_worker {
 	spinlock_t lock;
 
 	struct rcu_head rcu;
-	struct mm_struct *mm;
-#ifdef CONFIG_BLK_CGROUP
-	struct cgroup_subsys_state *blkcg_css;
-#endif
-	const struct cred *cur_creds;
-	const struct cred *saved_creds;
-	struct nsproxy *restore_nsproxy;
 };
 
 #if BITS_PER_LONG == 64
@@ -122,6 +112,8 @@ struct io_wq {
 	struct completion done;
 
 	struct hlist_node cpuhp_node;
+
+	pid_t task_pid;
 };
 
 static enum cpuhp_state io_wq_online;
@@ -137,61 +129,6 @@ static void io_worker_release(struct io_worker *worker)
 		wake_up_process(worker->task);
 }
 
-/*
- * Note: drops the wqe->lock if returning true! The caller must re-acquire
- * the lock in that case. Some callers need to restart handling if this
- * happens, so we can't just re-acquire the lock on behalf of the caller.
- */
-static bool __io_worker_unuse(struct io_wqe *wqe, struct io_worker *worker)
-{
-	bool dropped_lock = false;
-
-	if (worker->saved_creds) {
-		revert_creds(worker->saved_creds);
-		worker->cur_creds = worker->saved_creds = NULL;
-	}
-
-	if (current->files) {
-		__acquire(&wqe->lock);
-		raw_spin_unlock_irq(&wqe->lock);
-		dropped_lock = true;
-
-		task_lock(current);
-		current->files = NULL;
-		current->nsproxy = worker->restore_nsproxy;
-		task_unlock(current);
-	}
-
-	if (current->fs)
-		current->fs = NULL;
-
-	/*
-	 * If we have an active mm, we need to drop the wq lock before unusing
-	 * it. If we do, return true and let the caller retry the idle loop.
-	 */
-	if (worker->mm) {
-		if (!dropped_lock) {
-			__acquire(&wqe->lock);
-			raw_spin_unlock_irq(&wqe->lock);
-			dropped_lock = true;
-		}
-		__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
-		kthread_unuse_mm(worker->mm);
-		mmput(worker->mm);
-		worker->mm = NULL;
-	}
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_BLK_CGROUP
-	if (worker->blkcg_css) {
-		kthread_associate_blkcg(NULL);
-		worker->blkcg_css = NULL;
-	}
-#endif
-	if (current->signal->rlim[RLIMIT_FSIZE].rlim_cur != RLIM_INFINITY)
-		current->signal->rlim[RLIMIT_FSIZE].rlim_cur = RLIM_INFINITY;
-	return dropped_lock;
-}
-
 static inline struct io_wqe_acct *io_work_get_acct(struct io_wqe *wqe,
 						   struct io_wq_work *work)
 {
@@ -237,10 +174,6 @@ static void io_worker_exit(struct io_worker *worker)
 	raw_spin_lock_irq(&wqe->lock);
 	hlist_nulls_del_rcu(&worker->nulls_node);
 	list_del_rcu(&worker->all_list);
-	if (__io_worker_unuse(wqe, worker)) {
-		__release(&wqe->lock);
-		raw_spin_lock_irq(&wqe->lock);
-	}
 	acct->nr_workers--;
 	raw_spin_unlock_irq(&wqe->lock);
 
@@ -323,14 +256,7 @@ static void io_wqe_dec_running(struct io_worker *worker)
 
 static void io_worker_start(struct io_worker *worker)
 {
-	allow_kernel_signal(SIGINT);
-
-	current->flags |= PF_IO_WORKER;
-	current->fs = NULL;
-	current->files = NULL;
-
 	worker->flags |= (IO_WORKER_F_UP | IO_WORKER_F_RUNNING);
-	worker->restore_nsproxy = current->nsproxy;
 	io_wqe_inc_running(worker);
 }
 
@@ -387,7 +313,7 @@ static bool __io_worker_idle(struct io_wqe *wqe, struct io_worker *worker)
 		hlist_nulls_add_head_rcu(&worker->nulls_node, &wqe->free_list);
 	}
 
-	return __io_worker_unuse(wqe, worker);
+	return false;
 }
 
 static inline unsigned int io_get_work_hash(struct io_wq_work *work)
@@ -426,96 +352,23 @@ static struct io_wq_work *io_get_next_work(struct io_wqe *wqe)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static void io_wq_switch_mm(struct io_worker *worker, struct io_wq_work *work)
+static void io_flush_signals(void)
 {
-	if (worker->mm) {
-		kthread_unuse_mm(worker->mm);
-		mmput(worker->mm);
-		worker->mm = NULL;
+	if (unlikely(test_tsk_thread_flag(current, TIF_NOTIFY_SIGNAL))) {
+		if (current->task_works)
+			task_work_run();
+		clear_tsk_thread_flag(current, TIF_NOTIFY_SIGNAL);
 	}
-
-	if (mmget_not_zero(work->identity->mm)) {
-		kthread_use_mm(work->identity->mm);
-		worker->mm = work->identity->mm;
-		return;
-	}
-
-	/* failed grabbing mm, ensure work gets cancelled */
-	work->flags |= IO_WQ_WORK_CANCEL;
-}
-
-static inline void io_wq_switch_blkcg(struct io_worker *worker,
-				      struct io_wq_work *work)
-{
-#ifdef CONFIG_BLK_CGROUP
-	if (!(work->flags & IO_WQ_WORK_BLKCG))
-		return;
-	if (work->identity->blkcg_css != worker->blkcg_css) {
-		kthread_associate_blkcg(work->identity->blkcg_css);
-		worker->blkcg_css = work->identity->blkcg_css;
-	}
-#endif
-}
-
-static void io_wq_switch_creds(struct io_worker *worker,
-			       struct io_wq_work *work)
-{
-	const struct cred *old_creds = override_creds(work->identity->creds);
-
-	worker->cur_creds = work->identity->creds;
-	if (worker->saved_creds)
-		put_cred(old_creds); /* creds set by previous switch */
-	else
-		worker->saved_creds = old_creds;
-}
-
-static void io_impersonate_work(struct io_worker *worker,
-				struct io_wq_work *work)
-{
-	if ((work->flags & IO_WQ_WORK_FILES) &&
-	    current->files != work->identity->files) {
-		task_lock(current);
-		current->files = work->identity->files;
-		current->nsproxy = work->identity->nsproxy;
-		task_unlock(current);
-		if (!work->identity->files) {
-			/* failed grabbing files, ensure work gets cancelled */
-			work->flags |= IO_WQ_WORK_CANCEL;
-		}
-	}
-	if ((work->flags & IO_WQ_WORK_FS) && current->fs != work->identity->fs)
-		current->fs = work->identity->fs;
-	if ((work->flags & IO_WQ_WORK_MM) && work->identity->mm != worker->mm)
-		io_wq_switch_mm(worker, work);
-	if ((work->flags & IO_WQ_WORK_CREDS) &&
-	    worker->cur_creds != work->identity->creds)
-		io_wq_switch_creds(worker, work);
-	if (work->flags & IO_WQ_WORK_FSIZE)
-		current->signal->rlim[RLIMIT_FSIZE].rlim_cur = work->identity->fsize;
-	else if (current->signal->rlim[RLIMIT_FSIZE].rlim_cur != RLIM_INFINITY)
-		current->signal->rlim[RLIMIT_FSIZE].rlim_cur = RLIM_INFINITY;
-	io_wq_switch_blkcg(worker, work);
-#ifdef CONFIG_AUDIT
-	current->loginuid = work->identity->loginuid;
-	current->sessionid = work->identity->sessionid;
-#endif
 }
 
 static void io_assign_current_work(struct io_worker *worker,
 				   struct io_wq_work *work)
 {
 	if (work) {
-		/* flush pending signals before assigning new work */
-		if (signal_pending(current))
-			flush_signals(current);
+		io_flush_signals();
 		cond_resched();
 	}
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_AUDIT
-	current->loginuid = KUIDT_INIT(AUDIT_UID_UNSET);
-	current->sessionid = AUDIT_SID_UNSET;
-#endif
-
 	spin_lock_irq(&worker->lock);
 	worker->cur_work = work;
 	spin_unlock_irq(&worker->lock);
@@ -556,7 +409,6 @@ static void io_worker_handle_work(struct io_worker *worker)
 			unsigned int hash = io_get_work_hash(work);
 
 			next_hashed = wq_next_work(work);
-			io_impersonate_work(worker, work);
 			wq->do_work(work);
 			io_assign_current_work(worker, NULL);
 
@@ -608,10 +460,11 @@ static int io_wqe_worker(void *data)
 			goto loop;
 		}
 		raw_spin_unlock_irq(&wqe->lock);
-		if (signal_pending(current))
-			flush_signals(current);
+		io_flush_signals();
 		if (schedule_timeout(WORKER_IDLE_TIMEOUT))
 			continue;
+		if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
+			break;
 		/* timed out, exit unless we're the fixed worker */
 		if (test_bit(IO_WQ_BIT_EXIT, &wq->state) ||
 		    !(worker->flags & IO_WORKER_F_FIXED))
@@ -635,8 +488,10 @@ static int io_wqe_worker(void *data)
  */
 void io_wq_worker_running(struct task_struct *tsk)
 {
-	struct io_worker *worker = kthread_data(tsk);
+	struct io_worker *worker = tsk->pf_io_worker;
 
+	if (!worker)
+		return;
 	if (!(worker->flags & IO_WORKER_F_UP))
 		return;
 	if (worker->flags & IO_WORKER_F_RUNNING)
@@ -652,9 +507,10 @@ void io_wq_worker_running(struct task_struct *tsk)
  */
 void io_wq_worker_sleeping(struct task_struct *tsk)
 {
-	struct io_worker *worker = kthread_data(tsk);
-	struct io_wqe *wqe = worker->wqe;
+	struct io_worker *worker = tsk->pf_io_worker;
 
+	if (!worker)
+		return;
 	if (!(worker->flags & IO_WORKER_F_UP))
 		return;
 	if (!(worker->flags & IO_WORKER_F_RUNNING))
@@ -662,32 +518,27 @@ void io_wq_worker_sleeping(struct task_struct *tsk)
 
 	worker->flags &= ~IO_WORKER_F_RUNNING;
 
-	raw_spin_lock_irq(&wqe->lock);
+	raw_spin_lock_irq(&worker->wqe->lock);
 	io_wqe_dec_running(worker);
-	raw_spin_unlock_irq(&wqe->lock);
+	raw_spin_unlock_irq(&worker->wqe->lock);
 }
 
-static bool create_io_worker(struct io_wq *wq, struct io_wqe *wqe, int index)
+static int task_thread(void *data, int index)
 {
+	struct io_worker *worker = data;
+	struct io_wqe *wqe = worker->wqe;
 	struct io_wqe_acct *acct = &wqe->acct[index];
-	struct io_worker *worker;
+	struct io_wq *wq = wqe->wq;
+	char buf[TASK_COMM_LEN];
 
-	worker = kzalloc_node(sizeof(*worker), GFP_KERNEL, wqe->node);
-	if (!worker)
-		return false;
+	sprintf(buf, "iou-wrk-%d", wq->task_pid);
+	set_task_comm(current, buf);
 
-	refcount_set(&worker->ref, 1);
-	worker->nulls_node.pprev = NULL;
-	worker->wqe = wqe;
-	spin_lock_init(&worker->lock);
+	current->pf_io_worker = worker;
+	worker->task = current;
 
-	worker->task = kthread_create_on_node(io_wqe_worker, worker, wqe->node,
-				"io_wqe_worker-%d/%d", index, wqe->node);
-	if (IS_ERR(worker->task)) {
-		kfree(worker);
-		return false;
-	}
-	kthread_bind_mask(worker->task, cpumask_of_node(wqe->node));
+	set_cpus_allowed_ptr(current, cpumask_of_node(wqe->node));
+	current->flags |= PF_NO_SETAFFINITY;
 
 	raw_spin_lock_irq(&wqe->lock);
 	hlist_nulls_add_head_rcu(&worker->nulls_node, &wqe->free_list);
@@ -703,8 +554,58 @@ static bool create_io_worker(struct io_wq *wq, struct io_wqe *wqe, int index)
 	if (index == IO_WQ_ACCT_UNBOUND)
 		atomic_inc(&wq->user->processes);
 
+	io_wqe_worker(data);
+	do_exit(0);
+}
+
+static int task_thread_bound(void *data)
+{
+	return task_thread(data, IO_WQ_ACCT_BOUND);
+}
+
+static int task_thread_unbound(void *data)
+{
+	return task_thread(data, IO_WQ_ACCT_UNBOUND);
+}
+
+static pid_t fork_thread(int (*fn)(void *), void *arg)
+{
+	unsigned long flags = CLONE_FS|CLONE_FILES|CLONE_SIGHAND|CLONE_THREAD|
+				CLONE_IO|SIGCHLD;
+	struct kernel_clone_args args = {
+		.flags		= ((lower_32_bits(flags) | CLONE_VM |
+				    CLONE_UNTRACED) & ~CSIGNAL),
+		.exit_signal	= (lower_32_bits(flags) & CSIGNAL),
+		.stack		= (unsigned long)fn,
+		.stack_size	= (unsigned long)arg,
+	};
+
+	return kernel_clone(&args);
+}
+
+static bool create_io_worker(struct io_wq *wq, struct io_wqe *wqe, int index)
+{
+	struct io_worker *worker;
+	pid_t pid;
+
+	worker = kzalloc_node(sizeof(*worker), GFP_KERNEL, wqe->node);
+	if (!worker)
+		return false;
+
+	refcount_set(&worker->ref, 1);
+	worker->nulls_node.pprev = NULL;
+	worker->wqe = wqe;
+	spin_lock_init(&worker->lock);
+
+	if (index == IO_WQ_ACCT_BOUND)
+		pid = fork_thread(task_thread_bound, worker);
+	else
+		pid = fork_thread(task_thread_unbound, worker);
+	if (pid < 0) {
+		kfree(worker);
+		return false;
+	}
 	refcount_inc(&wq->refs);
-	wake_up_process(worker->task);
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -756,12 +657,17 @@ static bool io_wq_worker_wake(struct io_worker *worker, void *data)
 static int io_wq_manager(void *data)
 {
 	struct io_wq *wq = data;
+	char buf[TASK_COMM_LEN];
 	int node;
 
-	refcount_set(&wq->refs, 1);
+	sprintf(buf, "iou-mgr-%d", wq->task_pid);
+	set_task_comm(current, buf);
+	current->flags |= PF_IO_WORKER;
+	wq->manager = current;
+
 	complete(&wq->done);
 
-	while (!kthread_should_stop()) {
+	while (!test_bit(IO_WQ_BIT_EXIT, &wq->state)) {
 		for_each_node(node) {
 			struct io_wqe *wqe = wq->wqes[node];
 			bool fork_worker[2] = { false, false };
@@ -782,11 +688,13 @@ static int io_wq_manager(void *data)
 		}
 		set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
 		schedule_timeout(HZ);
+		if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
+			set_bit(IO_WQ_BIT_EXIT, &wq->state);
 	}
 
 	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&wq->refs)) {
 		complete(&wq->done);
-		return 0;
+		do_exit(0);
 	}
 	/* if ERROR is set and we get here, we have workers to wake */
 	if (test_bit(IO_WQ_BIT_ERROR, &wq->state)) {
@@ -795,7 +703,7 @@ static int io_wq_manager(void *data)
 			io_wq_for_each_worker(wq->wqes[node], io_wq_worker_wake, NULL);
 		rcu_read_unlock();
 	}
-	return 0;
+	do_exit(0);
 }
 
 static bool io_wq_can_queue(struct io_wqe *wqe, struct io_wqe_acct *acct,
@@ -919,7 +827,7 @@ static bool io_wq_worker_cancel(struct io_worker *worker, void *data)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&worker->lock, flags);
 	if (worker->cur_work &&
 	    match->fn(worker->cur_work, match->data)) {
-		send_sig(SIGINT, worker->task, 1);
+		set_notify_signal(worker->task);
 		match->nr_running++;
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&worker->lock, flags);
@@ -1075,22 +983,21 @@ struct io_wq *io_wq_create(unsigned bounded, struct io_wq_data *data)
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&wqe->all_list);
 	}
 
+	wq->task_pid = current->pid;
 	init_completion(&wq->done);
+	refcount_set(&wq->refs, 1);
 
-	wq->manager = kthread_create(io_wq_manager, wq, "io_wq_manager");
-	if (!IS_ERR(wq->manager)) {
-		wake_up_process(wq->manager);
+	current->flags |= PF_IO_WORKER;
+	ret = fork_thread(io_wq_manager, wq);
+	current->flags &= ~PF_IO_WORKER;
+	if (ret >= 0) {
 		wait_for_completion(&wq->done);
-		if (test_bit(IO_WQ_BIT_ERROR, &wq->state)) {
-			ret = -ENOMEM;
-			goto err;
-		}
 		reinit_completion(&wq->done);
 		return wq;
 	}
 
-	ret = PTR_ERR(wq->manager);
-	complete(&wq->done);
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&wq->refs))
+		complete(&wq->done);
 err:
 	cpuhp_state_remove_instance_nocalls(io_wq_online, &wq->cpuhp_node);
 	for_each_node(node)
@@ -1110,7 +1017,7 @@ void io_wq_destroy(struct io_wq *wq)
 
 	set_bit(IO_WQ_BIT_EXIT, &wq->state);
 	if (wq->manager)
-		kthread_stop(wq->manager);
+		wake_up_process(wq->manager);
 
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	for_each_node(node)
diff --git a/fs/io-wq.h b/fs/io-wq.h
index d2cf284b4641..83d56adabd16 100644
--- a/fs/io-wq.h
+++ b/fs/io-wq.h
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ static inline void io_wq_worker_running(struct task_struct *tsk)
 
 static inline bool io_wq_current_is_worker(void)
 {
-	return in_task() && (current->flags & PF_IO_WORKER);
+	return in_task() && (current->flags & PF_IO_WORKER) &&
+		current->pf_io_worker;
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/fs/io_uring.c b/fs/io_uring.c
index 31402a19fca6..9d22ec9d9406 100644
--- a/fs/io_uring.c
+++ b/fs/io_uring.c
@@ -1633,6 +1633,9 @@ static struct io_kiocb *__io_queue_async_work(struct io_kiocb *req)
 	struct io_kiocb *link = io_prep_linked_timeout(req);
 	struct io_uring_task *tctx = req->task->io_uring;
 
+	BUG_ON(!tctx);
+	BUG_ON(!tctx->io_wq);
+
 	trace_io_uring_queue_async_work(ctx, io_wq_is_hashed(&req->work), req,
 					&req->work, req->flags);
 	io_wq_enqueue(tctx->io_wq, &req->work);
@@ -9240,6 +9243,10 @@ static int io_uring_flush(struct file *file, void *data)
 	struct io_uring_task *tctx = current->io_uring;
 	struct io_ring_ctx *ctx = file->private_data;
 
+	/* Ignore helper thread files exit */
+	if (current->flags & PF_IO_WORKER)
+		return 0;
+
 	if (fatal_signal_pending(current) || (current->flags & PF_EXITING)) {
 		io_uring_cancel_task_requests(ctx, NULL);
 		io_req_caches_free(ctx, current);
diff --git a/include/linux/sched.h b/include/linux/sched.h
index 26f499810dfa..ef00bb22164c 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched.h
@@ -895,6 +895,9 @@ struct task_struct {
 	/* CLONE_CHILD_CLEARTID: */
 	int __user			*clear_child_tid;
 
+	/* PF_IO_WORKER */
+	void				*pf_io_worker;
+
 	u64				utime;
 	u64				stime;
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_SCALED_CPUTIME