diff --git a/io_uring/io_uring.c b/io_uring/io_uring.c
index db623b3185c8..da9b0397f9a1 100644
--- a/io_uring/io_uring.c
+++ b/io_uring/io_uring.c
@@ -1343,9 +1343,6 @@ int io_run_local_work(struct io_ring_ctx *ctx)
 	bool locked;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (llist_empty(&ctx->work_llist))
-		return 0;
-
 	__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
 	locked = mutex_trylock(&ctx->uring_lock);
 	ret = __io_run_local_work(ctx, &locked);
diff --git a/io_uring/io_uring.h b/io_uring/io_uring.h
index ab4b2a1c3b7e..7607a4992a94 100644
--- a/io_uring/io_uring.h
+++ b/io_uring/io_uring.h
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ static inline int io_run_task_work_ctx(struct io_ring_ctx *ctx)
 	int ret = 0;
 	int ret2;
 
-	if (ctx->flags & IORING_SETUP_DEFER_TASKRUN)
+	if (!llist_empty(&ctx->work_llist))
 		ret = io_run_local_work(ctx);
 
 	/* want to run this after in case more is added */