diff --git a/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c b/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
index 7e29a32..2cbe569 100644
--- a/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
+++ b/kernel/rcu/rcutorture.c
@@ -1786,12 +1786,15 @@
 					  writer_task);
 	if (firsterr)
 		goto unwind;
-	fakewriter_tasks = kzalloc(nfakewriters * sizeof(fakewriter_tasks[0]),
-				   GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (fakewriter_tasks == NULL) {
-		VERBOSE_TOROUT_ERRSTRING("out of memory");
-		firsterr = -ENOMEM;
-		goto unwind;
+	if (nfakewriters > 0) {
+		fakewriter_tasks = kzalloc(nfakewriters *
+					   sizeof(fakewriter_tasks[0]),
+					   GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (fakewriter_tasks == NULL) {
+			VERBOSE_TOROUT_ERRSTRING("out of memory");
+			firsterr = -ENOMEM;
+			goto unwind;
+		}
 	}
 	for (i = 0; i < nfakewriters; i++) {
 		firsterr = torture_create_kthread(rcu_torture_fakewriter,