diff --git a/drivers/block/virtio_blk.c b/drivers/block/virtio_blk.c
index 7c63065..e4c6c42 100644
--- a/drivers/block/virtio_blk.c
+++ b/drivers/block/virtio_blk.c
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ struct workqueue_struct *virtblk_wq;
 static unsigned int indirect_thresh;
 module_param(indirect_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
 
+static unsigned int indirect_alloc_thresh;
+module_param(indirect_alloc_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
+
 struct virtio_blk
 {
 	struct virtio_device *vdev;
@@ -739,6 +742,7 @@ static int __devinit virtblk_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 	INIT_WORK(&vblk->config_work, virtblk_config_changed_work);
 	vblk->config_enable = true;
 	vdev->indirect_thresh = indirect_thresh;
+	vdev->indirect_alloc_thresh = indirect_alloc_thresh;
 
 	err = init_vq(vblk);
 	if (err)
diff --git a/drivers/char/hw_random/virtio-rng.c b/drivers/char/hw_random/virtio-rng.c
index 3a644f1..ed22db8 100644
--- a/drivers/char/hw_random/virtio-rng.c
+++ b/drivers/char/hw_random/virtio-rng.c
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 static unsigned int indirect_thresh;
 module_param(indirect_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
 
+static unsigned int indirect_alloc_thresh;
+module_param(indirect_alloc_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
+
 static struct virtqueue *vq;
 static unsigned int data_avail;
 static DECLARE_COMPLETION(have_data);
@@ -97,6 +100,7 @@ static int probe_common(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 
 	/* We expect a single virtqueue. */
 	vdev->indirect_thresh = indirect_thresh;
+	vdev->indirect_alloc_thresh = indirect_alloc_thresh;
 	vq = virtio_find_single_vq(vdev, random_recv_done, "input");
 	if (IS_ERR(vq))
 		return PTR_ERR(vq);
diff --git a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
index da2e44c..8f30732 100644
--- a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
+++ b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@
 static unsigned int indirect_thresh;
 module_param(indirect_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
 
+static unsigned int indirect_alloc_thresh;
+module_param(indirect_alloc_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
+
 /*
  * This is a global struct for storing common data for all the devices
  * this driver handles.
@@ -1891,6 +1894,7 @@ static int __devinit virtcons_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 			      &portdev->config.max_nr_ports) == 0)
 		multiport = true;
 	vdev->indirect_thresh = indirect_thresh;
+	vdev->indirect_alloc_thresh = indirect_alloc_thresh;
 
 	err = init_vqs(portdev);
 	if (err < 0) {
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
index 949c89e..a00e19d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ module_param(gso, bool, 0444);
 static unsigned int indirect_thresh = 16;
 module_param(indirect_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
 
+static unsigned int indirect_alloc_thresh = 16;
+module_param(indirect_alloc_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
+
 /* FIXME: MTU in config. */
 #define MAX_PACKET_LEN (ETH_HLEN + VLAN_HLEN + ETH_DATA_LEN)
 #define GOOD_COPY_LEN	128
@@ -1132,6 +1135,7 @@ static int virtnet_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 	if (virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_MRG_RXBUF))
 		vi->mergeable_rx_bufs = true;
 	vdev->indirect_thresh = indirect_thresh;
+	vdev->indirect_alloc_thresh = indirect_alloc_thresh;
 
 	err = init_vqs(vi);
 	if (err)
diff --git a/drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c b/drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c
index ca5ae7a..039c4a6 100644
--- a/drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c
+++ b/drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@
 static unsigned int indirect_thresh;
 module_param(indirect_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
 
+static unsigned int indirect_alloc_thresh;
+module_param(indirect_alloc_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
+
 struct virtio_balloon
 {
 	struct virtio_device *vdev;
@@ -360,6 +363,7 @@ static int virtballoon_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 	vb->vdev = vdev;
 	vb->need_stats_update = 0;
 	vdev->indirect_thresh = indirect_thresh;
+	vdev->indirect_alloc_thresh = indirect_alloc_thresh;
 
 	err = init_vqs(vb);
 	if (err)
diff --git a/drivers/virtio/virtio_ring.c b/drivers/virtio/virtio_ring.c
index 4063e03..dde867b 100644
--- a/drivers/virtio/virtio_ring.c
+++ b/drivers/virtio/virtio_ring.c
@@ -93,6 +93,10 @@ struct vring_virtqueue
 	 */
 	unsigned int indirect_thresh;
 
+	/* Buffers below this size will be allocated from cache */
+	unsigned int indirect_alloc_thresh;
+	struct kmem_cache *indirect_cache;
+
 	/* Host publishes avail event idx */
 	bool event;
 
@@ -135,7 +139,10 @@ static int vring_add_indirect(struct vring_virtqueue *vq,
 	unsigned head;
 	int i;
 
-	desc = kmalloc((out + in) * sizeof(struct vring_desc), gfp);
+	if ((out + in) <= vq->indirect_alloc_thresh)
+		desc = kmem_cache_alloc(vq->indirect_cache, gfp);
+	else
+		desc = kmalloc((out + in) * sizeof(struct vring_desc), gfp);
 	if (!desc)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -384,8 +391,14 @@ static void detach_buf(struct vring_virtqueue *vq, unsigned int head)
 	i = head;
 
 	/* Free the indirect table */
-	if (vq->vring.desc[i].flags & VRING_DESC_F_INDIRECT)
-		kfree(phys_to_virt(vq->vring.desc[i].addr));
+	if (vq->vring.desc[i].flags & VRING_DESC_F_INDIRECT) {
+		u32 descs = vq->vring.desc[i].len / sizeof(struct vring_desc);
+		if (descs > vq->indirect_alloc_thresh)
+			kfree(phys_to_virt(vq->vring.desc[i].addr));
+		else
+			kmem_cache_free(vq->indirect_cache,
+					phys_to_virt(vq->vring.desc[i].addr));
+	}
 
 	while (vq->vring.desc[i].flags & VRING_DESC_F_NEXT) {
 		i = vq->vring.desc[i].next;
@@ -654,14 +667,25 @@ struct virtqueue *vring_new_virtqueue(unsigned int num,
 	vq->last_used_idx = 0;
 	vq->num_added = 0;
 	vq->indirect_thresh = 0;
+	vq->indirect_alloc_thresh = 0;
+	vq->indirect_cache = NULL;
 	list_add_tail(&vq->vq.list, &vdev->vqs);
 #ifdef DEBUG
 	vq->in_use = false;
 	vq->last_add_time_valid = false;
 #endif
 
-	if (virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_RING_F_INDIRECT_DESC))
+	if (virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_RING_F_INDIRECT_DESC)) {
 		vq->indirect_thresh = vdev->indirect_thresh;
+		vq->indirect_alloc_thresh = vdev->indirect_alloc_thresh;
+		if (vq->indirect_alloc_thresh) {
+			vq->indirect_cache =
+				KMEM_CACHE(vring_desc[vq->indirect_alloc_thresh], 0);
+
+			if (vq->indirect_cache == NULL)
+				vq->indirect_alloc_thresh = 0;
+		}
+	}
 
 	vq->event = virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_RING_F_EVENT_IDX);
 
@@ -685,6 +709,8 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(vring_new_virtqueue);
 void vring_del_virtqueue(struct virtqueue *vq)
 {
 	list_del(&vq->list);
+	if (to_vvq(vq)->indirect_cache)
+		kmem_cache_destroy(to_vvq(vq)->indirect_cache);
 	kfree(to_vvq(vq));
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(vring_del_virtqueue);
diff --git a/include/linux/virtio.h b/include/linux/virtio.h
index 48bc457..3261c02 100644
--- a/include/linux/virtio.h
+++ b/include/linux/virtio.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ struct virtio_device {
 	unsigned long features[1];
 	void *priv;
 	unsigned int indirect_thresh;
+	unsigned int indirect_alloc_thresh;
 };
 
 #define dev_to_virtio(dev) container_of(dev, struct virtio_device, dev)
diff --git a/net/9p/trans_virtio.c b/net/9p/trans_virtio.c
index 418f933..058b6dd 100644
--- a/net/9p/trans_virtio.c
+++ b/net/9p/trans_virtio.c
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@
 static unsigned int indirect_thresh;
 module_param(indirect_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
 
+static unsigned int indirect_alloc_thresh;
+module_param(indirect_alloc_thresh, uint, S_IRUGO);
+
 /* a single mutex to manage channel initialization and attachment */
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(virtio_9p_lock);
 static DECLARE_WAIT_QUEUE_HEAD(vp_wq);
@@ -505,6 +508,8 @@ static int p9_virtio_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
 
 	/* We expect one virtqueue, for requests. */
 	vdev->indirect_thresh = indirect_thresh;
+	vdev->indirect_alloc_thresh = indirect_alloc_thresh;
+
 	chan->vq = virtio_find_single_vq(vdev, req_done, "requests");
 	if (IS_ERR(chan->vq)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(chan->vq);
