diff --git a/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/include/linux/interrupt.h b/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/include/linux/interrupt.h
--- a/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/include/linux/interrupt.h
+++ b/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/include/linux/interrupt.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
  * Copyright (c) 2010 iX Systems, Inc.
  * Copyright (c) 2010 Panasas, Inc.
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2015 Mellanox Technologies, Ltd.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2021 Mellanox Technologies, Ltd.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -62,8 +62,6 @@
 		return (0);
 }
 
-extern void linux_irq_handler(void *);
-
 static inline struct irq_ent *
 linux_irq_ent(struct device *dev, unsigned int irq)
 {
@@ -76,6 +74,8 @@
 	return (NULL);
 }
 
+extern int linux_irq_setup(struct irq_ent *);
+
 static inline int
 request_irq(unsigned int irq, irq_handler_t handler, unsigned long flags,
     const char *name, void *arg)
@@ -100,16 +100,14 @@
 	irqe->arg = arg;
 	irqe->handler = handler;
 	irqe->irq = irq;
-	error = bus_setup_intr(dev->bsddev, res, INTR_TYPE_NET | INTR_MPSAFE,
-	    NULL, linux_irq_handler, irqe, &irqe->tag);
+	error = linux_irq_setup(irqe);
 	if (error) {
 		bus_release_resource(dev->bsddev, SYS_RES_IRQ, rid, irqe->res);
 		kfree(irqe);
-		return (-error);
+		return (error);
 	}
 	list_add(&irqe->links, &dev->irqents);
-
-	return 0;
+	return (0);
 }
 
 static inline int
@@ -124,8 +122,7 @@
 	irqe = linux_irq_ent(dev, irq);
 	if (irqe == NULL || irqe->tag != NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;
-	return -bus_setup_intr(dev->bsddev, irqe->res, INTR_TYPE_NET | INTR_MPSAFE,
-	    NULL, linux_irq_handler, irqe, &irqe->tag);
+	return (linux_irq_setup(irqe));
 }
 
 static inline void
diff --git a/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/src/linux_compat.c b/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/src/linux_compat.c
--- a/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/src/linux_compat.c
+++ b/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/src/linux_compat.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2010 Isilon Systems, Inc.
  * Copyright (c) 2010 iX Systems, Inc.
  * Copyright (c) 2010 Panasas, Inc.
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2018 Mellanox Technologies, Ltd.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2021 Mellanox Technologies, Ltd.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -2370,18 +2370,23 @@
 	free(ar, M_KMALLOC);
 }
 
-void
+static void
 linux_irq_handler(void *ent)
 {
 	struct irq_ent *irqe;
 
-	if (linux_set_current_flags(curthread, M_NOWAIT))
-		return;
-
 	irqe = ent;
 	irqe->handler(irqe->irq, irqe->arg);
 }
 
+int
+linux_irq_setup(struct irq_ent *irqe)
+{
+	return (-bus_setup_intr(irqe->dev->bsddev, irqe->res,
+	    INTR_TYPE_NET | INTR_MPSAFE | INTR_LINUXKPI,
+	    NULL, linux_irq_handler, irqe, &irqe->tag));
+}
+
 #if defined(__i386__) || defined(__amd64__)
 int
 linux_wbinvd_on_all_cpus(void)
diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_intr.c b/sys/kern/kern_intr.c
--- a/sys/kern/kern_intr.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_intr.c
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@
 
 static void	intr_event_update(struct intr_event *ie);
 static int	intr_event_schedule_thread(struct intr_event *ie);
-static struct intr_thread *ithread_create(const char *name);
 static void	ithread_destroy(struct intr_thread *ithread);
 static void	ithread_execute_handlers(struct proc *p, 
 		    struct intr_event *ie);
@@ -529,7 +528,7 @@
 }
 
 static struct intr_thread *
-ithread_create(const char *name)
+ithread_create(const char *name, enum intr_type flags)
 {
 	struct intr_thread *ithd;
 	struct thread *td;
@@ -548,6 +547,9 @@
 	thread_unlock(td);
 	td->td_pflags |= TDP_ITHREAD;
 	ithd->it_thread = td;
+	/* check if we need to allocate a LinuxKPI task structure for this thread */	  
+	if (flags & INTR_LINUXKPI)
+		(lkpi_alloc_current)(td, M_WAITOK);
 	CTR2(KTR_INTR, "%s: created %s", __func__, name);
 	return (ithd);
 }
@@ -615,7 +617,7 @@
 		else {
 			ie->ie_flags |= IE_ADDING_THREAD;
 			mtx_unlock(&ie->ie_lock);
-			it = ithread_create("intr: newborn");
+			it = ithread_create("intr: newborn", flags);
 			mtx_lock(&ie->ie_lock);
 			ie->ie_flags &= ~IE_ADDING_THREAD;
 			ie->ie_thread = it;
diff --git a/sys/sys/bus.h b/sys/sys/bus.h
--- a/sys/sys/bus.h
+++ b/sys/sys/bus.h
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@
 	INTR_TYPE_MISC = 16,
 	INTR_TYPE_CLK = 32,
 	INTR_TYPE_AV = 64,
+	INTR_LINUXKPI = 128,            /* this interrupt is used by the LinuxKPI */
 	INTR_EXCL = 256,		/* exclusive interrupt */
 	INTR_MPSAFE = 512,		/* this interrupt is SMP safe */
 	INTR_ENTROPY = 1024,		/* this interrupt provides entropy */