diff --git a/io_uring/io_uring.c b/io_uring/io_uring.c
index 432b95ca9c85..d3403c8216db 100644
--- a/io_uring/io_uring.c
+++ b/io_uring/io_uring.c
@@ -514,7 +514,11 @@ static void io_queue_iowq(struct io_kiocb *req)
 	struct io_uring_task *tctx = req->tctx;
 
 	BUG_ON(!tctx);
-	BUG_ON(!tctx->io_wq);
+
+	if ((current->flags & PF_KTHREAD) || !tctx->io_wq) {
+		io_req_task_queue_fail(req, -ECANCELED);
+		return;
+	}
 
 	/* init ->work of the whole link before punting */
 	io_prep_async_link(req);