diff --git a/mm/bootmem.c b/mm/bootmem.c
index e5415a5414a5..89646f77b427 100644
--- a/mm/bootmem.c
+++ b/mm/bootmem.c
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@ static void * __init alloc_bootmem_core(struct bootmem_data *bdata,
 				unsigned long size, unsigned long align,
 				unsigned long goal, unsigned long limit)
 {
+	unsigned long fallback = 0;
 	unsigned long min, max, start, sidx, midx, step;
 
 	BUG_ON(!size);
@@ -443,8 +444,11 @@ static void * __init alloc_bootmem_core(struct bootmem_data *bdata,
 	midx = max - PFN_DOWN(bdata->node_boot_start);
 
 	if (bdata->hint_idx > sidx) {
-		/* Make sure we retry on failure */
-		goal = 1;
+		/*
+		 * Handle the valid case of sidx being zero and still
+		 * catch the fallback below.
+		 */
+		fallback = sidx + 1;
 		sidx = ALIGN(bdata->hint_idx, step);
 	}
 
@@ -492,10 +496,39 @@ find_block:
 		return region;
 	}
 
+	if (fallback) {
+		sidx = ALIGN(fallback - 1, step);
+		fallback = 0;
+		goto find_block;
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static void * __init ___alloc_bootmem_nopanic(unsigned long size,
+					unsigned long align,
+					unsigned long goal,
+					unsigned long limit)
+{
+	bootmem_data_t *bdata;
+
+restart:
+	list_for_each_entry(bdata, &bdata_list, list) {
+		void *region;
+
+		if (goal && bdata->node_low_pfn <= PFN_DOWN(goal))
+			continue;
+		if (limit && bdata->node_boot_start >= limit)
+			break;
+
+		region = alloc_bootmem_core(bdata, size, align, goal, limit);
+		if (region)
+			return region;
+	}
+
 	if (goal) {
 		goal = 0;
-		sidx = 0;
-		goto find_block;
+		goto restart;
 	}
 
 	return NULL;
@@ -515,16 +548,23 @@ find_block:
  * Returns NULL on failure.
  */
 void * __init __alloc_bootmem_nopanic(unsigned long size, unsigned long align,
-				      unsigned long goal)
+					unsigned long goal)
 {
-	bootmem_data_t *bdata;
-	void *ptr;
+	return ___alloc_bootmem_nopanic(size, align, goal, 0);
+}
 
-	list_for_each_entry(bdata, &bdata_list, list) {
-		ptr = alloc_bootmem_core(bdata, size, align, goal, 0);
-		if (ptr)
-			return ptr;
-	}
+static void * __init ___alloc_bootmem(unsigned long size, unsigned long align,
+					unsigned long goal, unsigned long limit)
+{
+	void *mem = ___alloc_bootmem_nopanic(size, align, goal, limit);
+
+	if (mem)
+		return mem;
+	/*
+	 * Whoops, we cannot satisfy the allocation request.
+	 */
+	printk(KERN_ALERT "bootmem alloc of %lu bytes failed!\n", size);
+	panic("Out of memory");
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -544,16 +584,7 @@ void * __init __alloc_bootmem_nopanic(unsigned long size, unsigned long align,
 void * __init __alloc_bootmem(unsigned long size, unsigned long align,
 			      unsigned long goal)
 {
-	void *mem = __alloc_bootmem_nopanic(size,align,goal);
-
-	if (mem)
-		return mem;
-	/*
-	 * Whoops, we cannot satisfy the allocation request.
-	 */
-	printk(KERN_ALERT "bootmem alloc of %lu bytes failed!\n", size);
-	panic("Out of memory");
-	return NULL;
+	return ___alloc_bootmem(size, align, goal, 0);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -653,22 +684,7 @@ void * __init __alloc_bootmem_node_nopanic(pg_data_t *pgdat, unsigned long size,
 void * __init __alloc_bootmem_low(unsigned long size, unsigned long align,
 				  unsigned long goal)
 {
-	bootmem_data_t *bdata;
-	void *ptr;
-
-	list_for_each_entry(bdata, &bdata_list, list) {
-		ptr = alloc_bootmem_core(bdata, size, align, goal,
-					ARCH_LOW_ADDRESS_LIMIT);
-		if (ptr)
-			return ptr;
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * Whoops, we cannot satisfy the allocation request.
-	 */
-	printk(KERN_ALERT "low bootmem alloc of %lu bytes failed!\n", size);
-	panic("Out of low memory");
-	return NULL;
+	return ___alloc_bootmem(size, align, goal, ARCH_LOW_ADDRESS_LIMIT);
 }
 
 /**