diff --git a/include/sys/kmem.h b/include/sys/kmem.h
index 116d6db0df..0149e754c3 100644
--- a/include/sys/kmem.h
+++ b/include/sys/kmem.h
@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ enum {
 	KMC_BIT_KMEM		= 5,	/* Use kmem cache */
 	KMC_BIT_VMEM		= 6,	/* Use vmem cache */
 	KMC_BIT_OFFSLAB		= 7,	/* Objects not on slab */
+	KMC_BIT_NOEMERGENCY	= 8,	/* Disable emergency objects */
 	KMC_BIT_GROWING         = 15,   /* Growing in progress */
 	KMC_BIT_REAPING		= 16,	/* Reaping in progress */
 	KMC_BIT_DESTROY		= 17,	/* Destroy in progress */
@@ -365,6 +366,7 @@ typedef enum kmem_cbrc {
 #define KMC_KMEM		(1 << KMC_BIT_KMEM)
 #define KMC_VMEM		(1 << KMC_BIT_VMEM)
 #define KMC_OFFSLAB		(1 << KMC_BIT_OFFSLAB)
+#define KMC_NOEMERGENCY		(1 << KMC_BIT_NOEMERGENCY)
 #define KMC_GROWING		(1 << KMC_BIT_GROWING)
 #define KMC_REAPING		(1 << KMC_BIT_REAPING)
 #define KMC_DESTROY		(1 << KMC_BIT_DESTROY)
diff --git a/module/spl/spl-kmem.c b/module/spl/spl-kmem.c
index e07e08c911..eca809c477 100644
--- a/module/spl/spl-kmem.c
+++ b/module/spl/spl-kmem.c
@@ -1727,8 +1727,13 @@ spl_cache_grow(spl_kmem_cache_t *skc, int flags, void **obj)
 	 */
 	remaining = wait_event_timeout(skc->skc_waitq,
 				       spl_cache_grow_wait(skc), 1);
-	if (remaining == 0)
-		rc = spl_emergency_alloc(skc, flags, obj);
+
+	if (remaining == 0) {
+		if (test_bit(KMC_BIT_NOEMERGENCY, &skc->skc_flags))
+			rc = -ENOMEM;
+		else
+			rc = spl_emergency_alloc(skc, flags, obj);
+	}
 
 	SRETURN(rc);
 }