diff --git a/kernel/cpu.c b/kernel/cpu.c
index 49d2eea2bd43..7d86553a0c2e 100644
--- a/kernel/cpu.c
+++ b/kernel/cpu.c
@@ -1136,11 +1136,37 @@ void __wait_drain_rq(struct cpumask *cpus)
 		sched_cpu_drain_rq_wait(cpu);
 }
 
+/* if rt task, set to cfs and return previous prio */
+static int pause_reduce_prio(void)
+{
+	int prev_prio = -1;
+
+	if (current->prio < MAX_RT_PRIO) {
+		struct sched_param param = { .sched_priority = 0 };
+
+		prev_prio = current->prio;
+		sched_setscheduler_nocheck(current, SCHED_NORMAL, &param);
+	}
+
+	return prev_prio;
+}
+
+/* if previous prio was set, restore */
+static void pause_restore_prio(int prev_prio)
+{
+	if (prev_prio >= 0 && prev_prio < MAX_RT_PRIO) {
+		struct sched_param param = { .sched_priority = MAX_RT_PRIO-1-prev_prio };
+
+		sched_setscheduler_nocheck(current, SCHED_FIFO, &param);
+	}
+}
+
 int pause_cpus(struct cpumask *cpus)
 {
 	int err = 0;
 	int cpu;
 	u64 start_time = 0;
+	int prev_prio;
 
 	start_time = sched_clock();
 
@@ -1195,6 +1221,8 @@ int pause_cpus(struct cpumask *cpus)
 		goto err_cpu_maps_update;
 	}
 
+	prev_prio = pause_reduce_prio();
+
 	/*
 	 * Slow path deactivation:
 	 *
@@ -1238,6 +1266,7 @@ int pause_cpus(struct cpumask *cpus)
 
 err_cpus_write_unlock:
 	cpus_write_unlock();
+	pause_restore_prio(prev_prio);
 err_cpu_maps_update:
 	cpu_maps_update_done();
 
@@ -1252,6 +1281,7 @@ int resume_cpus(struct cpumask *cpus)
 	unsigned int cpu;
 	int err = 0;
 	u64 start_time = 0;
+	int prev_prio;
 
 	start_time = sched_clock();
 
@@ -1282,6 +1312,8 @@ int resume_cpus(struct cpumask *cpus)
 	if (err)
 		goto err_cpu_maps_update;
 
+	prev_prio = pause_reduce_prio();
+
 	/* Lazy Resume.  Build domains immediately instead of scheduling
 	 * a workqueue.  This is so that the cpu can pull load when
 	 * sent a load balancing kick.
@@ -1309,6 +1341,7 @@ int resume_cpus(struct cpumask *cpus)
 
 err_cpus_write_unlock:
 	cpus_write_unlock();
+	pause_restore_prio(prev_prio);
 err_cpu_maps_update:
 	cpu_maps_update_done();