diff --git a/kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c b/kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c
index 8a9224417bd3..5f1a339c714b 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup/cpuset.c
@@ -2473,7 +2473,8 @@ static int update_cpumask(struct cpuset *cs, struct cpuset *trialcs,
 	 */
 	if (!*buf) {
 		cpumask_clear(trialcs->cpus_allowed);
-		cpumask_clear(trialcs->effective_xcpus);
+		if (cpumask_empty(trialcs->exclusive_cpus))
+			cpumask_clear(trialcs->effective_xcpus);
 	} else {
 		retval = cpulist_parse(buf, trialcs->cpus_allowed);
 		if (retval < 0)