diff --git a/mm/z3fold.c b/mm/z3fold.c
index d637d9ee005c..05bdf90646e7 100644
--- a/mm/z3fold.c
+++ b/mm/z3fold.c
@@ -295,14 +295,11 @@ static void z3fold_unregister_migration(struct z3fold_pool *pool)
  }
 
 /* Initializes the z3fold header of a newly allocated z3fold page */
-static struct z3fold_header *init_z3fold_page(struct page *page,
+static struct z3fold_header *init_z3fold_page(struct page *page, bool headless,
 					struct z3fold_pool *pool, gfp_t gfp)
 {
 	struct z3fold_header *zhdr = page_address(page);
-	struct z3fold_buddy_slots *slots = alloc_slots(pool, gfp);
-
-	if (!slots)
-		return NULL;
+	struct z3fold_buddy_slots *slots;
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&page->lru);
 	clear_bit(PAGE_HEADLESS, &page->private);
@@ -310,6 +307,12 @@ static struct z3fold_header *init_z3fold_page(struct page *page,
 	clear_bit(NEEDS_COMPACTING, &page->private);
 	clear_bit(PAGE_STALE, &page->private);
 	clear_bit(PAGE_CLAIMED, &page->private);
+	if (headless)
+		return zhdr;
+
+	slots = alloc_slots(pool, gfp);
+	if (!slots)
+		return NULL;
 
 	spin_lock_init(&zhdr->page_lock);
 	kref_init(&zhdr->refcount);
@@ -930,7 +933,7 @@ retry:
 	if (!page)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	zhdr = init_z3fold_page(page, pool, gfp);
+	zhdr = init_z3fold_page(page, bud == HEADLESS, pool, gfp);
 	if (!zhdr) {
 		__free_page(page);
 		return -ENOMEM;