diff --git a/arch/ia64/hp/common/sba_iommu.c b/arch/ia64/hp/common/sba_iommu.c
index 344387a..17762af 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/hp/common/sba_iommu.c
+++ b/arch/ia64/hp/common/sba_iommu.c
@@ -1146,7 +1146,7 @@ sba_alloc_coherent(struct device *dev, size_t size, dma_addr_t *dma_handle,
 		if (node == NUMA_NO_NODE)
 			node = numa_node_id();
 
-		page = alloc_pages_exact_node(node, flags, get_order(size));
+		page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node, flags, get_order(size));
 		if (unlikely(!page))
 			return NULL;
 
diff --git a/arch/ia64/kernel/uncached.c b/arch/ia64/kernel/uncached.c
index 20e8a9b..1451961 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/kernel/uncached.c
+++ b/arch/ia64/kernel/uncached.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ static int uncached_add_chunk(struct uncached_pool *uc_pool, int nid)
 
 	/* attempt to allocate a granule's worth of cached memory pages */
 
-	page = alloc_pages_exact_node(nid,
+	page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(nid,
 				GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_ZERO | __GFP_THISNODE,
 				IA64_GRANULE_SHIFT-PAGE_SHIFT);
 	if (!page) {
diff --git a/arch/ia64/sn/pci/pci_dma.c b/arch/ia64/sn/pci/pci_dma.c
index d0853e8..dcab82f 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/sn/pci/pci_dma.c
+++ b/arch/ia64/sn/pci/pci_dma.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ static void *sn_dma_alloc_coherent(struct device *dev, size_t size,
 	 */
 	node = pcibus_to_node(pdev->bus);
 	if (likely(node >=0)) {
-		struct page *p = alloc_pages_exact_node(node,
+		struct page *p = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node,
 						flags, get_order(size));
 
 		if (likely(p))
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/platforms/cell/ras.c b/arch/powerpc/platforms/cell/ras.c
index e865d74..646a310 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/platforms/cell/ras.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/platforms/cell/ras.c
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ static int __init cbe_ptcal_enable_on_node(int nid, int order)
 
 	area->nid = nid;
 	area->order = order;
-	area->pages = alloc_pages_exact_node(area->nid,
+	area->pages = alloc_pages_prefer_node(area->nid,
 						GFP_KERNEL|__GFP_THISNODE,
 						area->order);
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c
index 2d73807..a8723a8 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c
@@ -3158,7 +3158,7 @@ static struct vmcs *alloc_vmcs_cpu(int cpu)
 	struct page *pages;
 	struct vmcs *vmcs;
 
-	pages = alloc_pages_exact_node(node, GFP_KERNEL, vmcs_config.order);
+	pages = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node, GFP_KERNEL, vmcs_config.order);
 	if (!pages)
 		return NULL;
 	vmcs = page_address(pages);
diff --git a/drivers/misc/sgi-xp/xpc_uv.c b/drivers/misc/sgi-xp/xpc_uv.c
index 95c8944..3ff0a24 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/sgi-xp/xpc_uv.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/sgi-xp/xpc_uv.c
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ xpc_create_gru_mq_uv(unsigned int mq_size, int cpu, char *irq_name,
 	mq->mmr_blade = uv_cpu_to_blade_id(cpu);
 
 	nid = cpu_to_node(cpu);
-	page = alloc_pages_exact_node(nid,
+	page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(nid,
 				      GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_ZERO | __GFP_THISNODE,
 				      pg_order);
 	if (page == NULL) {
diff --git a/include/linux/gfp.h b/include/linux/gfp.h
index 15928f0..ff892d7 100644
--- a/include/linux/gfp.h
+++ b/include/linux/gfp.h
@@ -300,6 +300,10 @@ __alloc_pages(gfp_t gfp_mask, unsigned int order,
 	return __alloc_pages_nodemask(gfp_mask, order, zonelist, NULL);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Allocate pages, preferring the node given as nid. When nid equals -1,
+ * prefer the current CPU's node.
+ */
 static inline struct page *alloc_pages_node(int nid, gfp_t gfp_mask,
 						unsigned int order)
 {
@@ -310,7 +314,14 @@ static inline struct page *alloc_pages_node(int nid, gfp_t gfp_mask,
 	return __alloc_pages(gfp_mask, order, node_zonelist(nid, gfp_mask));
 }
 
-static inline struct page *alloc_pages_exact_node(int nid, gfp_t gfp_mask,
+/*
+ * Allocate pages, preferring the node given as nid. Unlike alloc_pages_node(),
+ * nid must be a valid online node, there is no fallback to current CPU's node.
+ *
+ * In order to completely restrict allocation to the preferred node, include
+ * __GFP_THISNODE in the gfp_mask.
+ */
+static inline struct page *alloc_pages_prefer_node(int nid, gfp_t gfp_mask,
 						unsigned int order)
 {
 	VM_BUG_ON(nid < 0 || nid >= MAX_NUMNODES || !node_online(nid));
@@ -354,7 +365,6 @@ extern unsigned long get_zeroed_page(gfp_t gfp_mask);
 
 void *alloc_pages_exact(size_t size, gfp_t gfp_mask);
 void free_pages_exact(void *virt, size_t size);
-/* This is different from alloc_pages_exact_node !!! */
 void * __meminit alloc_pages_exact_nid(int nid, size_t size, gfp_t gfp_mask);
 
 #define __get_free_page(gfp_mask) \
diff --git a/kernel/profile.c b/kernel/profile.c
index a7bcd28..6ee695e 100644
--- a/kernel/profile.c
+++ b/kernel/profile.c
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ static int profile_cpu_callback(struct notifier_block *info,
 		node = cpu_to_mem(cpu);
 		per_cpu(cpu_profile_flip, cpu) = 0;
 		if (!per_cpu(cpu_profile_hits, cpu)[1]) {
-			page = alloc_pages_exact_node(node,
+			page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node,
 					GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_ZERO,
 					0);
 			if (!page)
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ static int profile_cpu_callback(struct notifier_block *info,
 			per_cpu(cpu_profile_hits, cpu)[1] = page_address(page);
 		}
 		if (!per_cpu(cpu_profile_hits, cpu)[0]) {
-			page = alloc_pages_exact_node(node,
+			page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node,
 					GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_ZERO,
 					0);
 			if (!page)
@@ -543,14 +543,14 @@ static int create_hash_tables(void)
 		int node = cpu_to_mem(cpu);
 		struct page *page;
 
-		page = alloc_pages_exact_node(node,
+		page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node,
 				GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_ZERO | __GFP_THISNODE,
 				0);
 		if (!page)
 			goto out_cleanup;
 		per_cpu(cpu_profile_hits, cpu)[1]
 				= (struct profile_hit *)page_address(page);
-		page = alloc_pages_exact_node(node,
+		page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node,
 				GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_ZERO | __GFP_THISNODE,
 				0);
 		if (!page)
diff --git a/mm/filemap.c b/mm/filemap.c
index 6bf5e42..52e3b55 100644
--- a/mm/filemap.c
+++ b/mm/filemap.c
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ struct page *__page_cache_alloc(gfp_t gfp)
 		do {
 			cpuset_mems_cookie = read_mems_allowed_begin();
 			n = cpuset_mem_spread_node();
-			page = alloc_pages_exact_node(n, gfp, 0);
+			page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(n, gfp, 0);
 		} while (!page && read_mems_allowed_retry(cpuset_mems_cookie));
 
 		return page;
diff --git a/mm/huge_memory.c b/mm/huge_memory.c
index 078832c..7130e97 100644
--- a/mm/huge_memory.c
+++ b/mm/huge_memory.c
@@ -2350,7 +2350,7 @@ khugepaged_alloc_page(struct page **hpage, gfp_t gfp, struct mm_struct *mm,
 	 */
 	up_read(&mm->mmap_sem);
 
-	*hpage = alloc_pages_exact_node(node, gfp, HPAGE_PMD_ORDER);
+	*hpage = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node, gfp, HPAGE_PMD_ORDER);
 	if (unlikely(!*hpage)) {
 		count_vm_event(THP_COLLAPSE_ALLOC_FAILED);
 		*hpage = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
diff --git a/mm/hugetlb.c b/mm/hugetlb.c
index 271e443..4c6c0c1 100644
--- a/mm/hugetlb.c
+++ b/mm/hugetlb.c
@@ -1088,7 +1088,7 @@ static struct page *alloc_fresh_huge_page_node(struct hstate *h, int nid)
 {
 	struct page *page;
 
-	page = alloc_pages_exact_node(nid,
+	page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(nid,
 		htlb_alloc_mask(h)|__GFP_COMP|__GFP_THISNODE|
 						__GFP_REPEAT|__GFP_NOWARN,
 		huge_page_order(h));
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ static struct page *alloc_buddy_huge_page(struct hstate *h, int nid)
 				   __GFP_REPEAT|__GFP_NOWARN,
 				   huge_page_order(h));
 	else
-		page = alloc_pages_exact_node(nid,
+		page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(nid,
 			htlb_alloc_mask(h)|__GFP_COMP|__GFP_THISNODE|
 			__GFP_REPEAT|__GFP_NOWARN, huge_page_order(h));
 
diff --git a/mm/memory-failure.c b/mm/memory-failure.c
index 501820c..132f043 100644
--- a/mm/memory-failure.c
+++ b/mm/memory-failure.c
@@ -1503,7 +1503,7 @@ static struct page *new_page(struct page *p, unsigned long private, int **x)
 		return alloc_huge_page_node(page_hstate(compound_head(p)),
 						   nid);
 	else
-		return alloc_pages_exact_node(nid, GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE, 0);
+		return alloc_pages_prefer_node(nid, GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE, 0);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/mm/mempolicy.c b/mm/mempolicy.c
index 7477432..2e2a876 100644
--- a/mm/mempolicy.c
+++ b/mm/mempolicy.c
@@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ static struct page *new_node_page(struct page *page, unsigned long node, int **x
 		return alloc_huge_page_node(page_hstate(compound_head(page)),
 					node);
 	else
-		return alloc_pages_exact_node(node, GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE |
+		return alloc_pages_prefer_node(node, GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE |
 						    __GFP_THISNODE, 0);
 }
 
@@ -1986,7 +1986,7 @@ alloc_pages_vma(gfp_t gfp, int order, struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 		nmask = policy_nodemask(gfp, pol);
 		if (!nmask || node_isset(node, *nmask)) {
 			mpol_cond_put(pol);
-			page = alloc_pages_exact_node(node,
+			page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node,
 						gfp | __GFP_THISNODE, order);
 			goto out;
 		}
diff --git a/mm/migrate.c b/mm/migrate.c
index f53838f..b51e106 100644
--- a/mm/migrate.c
+++ b/mm/migrate.c
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ static struct page *new_page_node(struct page *p, unsigned long private,
 		return alloc_huge_page_node(page_hstate(compound_head(p)),
 					pm->node);
 	else
-		return alloc_pages_exact_node(pm->node,
+		return alloc_pages_prefer_node(pm->node,
 				GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE | __GFP_THISNODE, 0);
 }
 
@@ -1553,7 +1553,7 @@ static struct page *alloc_misplaced_dst_page(struct page *page,
 	int nid = (int) data;
 	struct page *newpage;
 
-	newpage = alloc_pages_exact_node(nid,
+	newpage = alloc_pages_prefer_node(nid,
 					 (GFP_HIGHUSER_MOVABLE |
 					  __GFP_THISNODE | __GFP_NOMEMALLOC |
 					  __GFP_NORETRY | __GFP_NOWARN) &
diff --git a/mm/page_alloc.c b/mm/page_alloc.c
index ebffa0e..e6eef56 100644
--- a/mm/page_alloc.c
+++ b/mm/page_alloc.c
@@ -3062,8 +3062,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(alloc_pages_exact);
  *
  * Like alloc_pages_exact(), but try to allocate on node nid first before falling
  * back.
- * Note this is not alloc_pages_exact_node() which allocates on a specific node,
- * but is not exact.
  */
 void * __meminit alloc_pages_exact_nid(int nid, size_t size, gfp_t gfp_mask)
 {
diff --git a/mm/slab.c b/mm/slab.c
index 7eb38dd..471fde8 100644
--- a/mm/slab.c
+++ b/mm/slab.c
@@ -1594,7 +1594,7 @@ static struct page *kmem_getpages(struct kmem_cache *cachep, gfp_t flags,
 	if (memcg_charge_slab(cachep, flags, cachep->gfporder))
 		return NULL;
 
-	page = alloc_pages_exact_node(nodeid, flags | __GFP_NOTRACK, cachep->gfporder);
+	page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(nodeid, flags | __GFP_NOTRACK, cachep->gfporder);
 	if (!page) {
 		memcg_uncharge_slab(cachep, cachep->gfporder);
 		slab_out_of_memory(cachep, flags, nodeid);
diff --git a/mm/slob.c b/mm/slob.c
index 4765f65..cfda5e2 100644
--- a/mm/slob.c
+++ b/mm/slob.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
  * NUMA support in SLOB is fairly simplistic, pushing most of the real
  * logic down to the page allocator, and simply doing the node accounting
  * on the upper levels. In the event that a node id is explicitly
- * provided, alloc_pages_exact_node() with the specified node id is used
+ * provided, alloc_pages_prefer_node() with the specified node id is used
  * instead. The common case (or when the node id isn't explicitly provided)
  * will default to the current node, as per numa_node_id().
  *
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ static void *slob_new_pages(gfp_t gfp, int order, int node)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NUMA
 	if (node != NUMA_NO_NODE)
-		page = alloc_pages_exact_node(node, gfp, order);
+		page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node, gfp, order);
 	else
 #endif
 		page = alloc_pages(gfp, order);
diff --git a/mm/slub.c b/mm/slub.c
index 54c0876..8b10404 100644
--- a/mm/slub.c
+++ b/mm/slub.c
@@ -1323,7 +1323,7 @@ static inline struct page *alloc_slab_page(struct kmem_cache *s,
 	if (node == NUMA_NO_NODE)
 		page = alloc_pages(flags, order);
 	else
-		page = alloc_pages_exact_node(node, flags, order);
+		page = alloc_pages_prefer_node(node, flags, order);
 
 	if (!page)
 		memcg_uncharge_slab(s, order);
