diff --git a/block/bfq-iosched.c b/block/bfq-iosched.c
index e234eb408ed0..975fd30a07c9 100644
--- a/block/bfq-iosched.c
+++ b/block/bfq-iosched.c
@@ -2782,6 +2782,15 @@ bfq_setup_merge(struct bfq_queue *bfqq, struct bfq_queue *new_bfqq)
 	 * are likely to increase the throughput.
 	 */
 	bfqq->new_bfqq = new_bfqq;
+	/*
+	 * The above assignment schedules the following redirections:
+	 * each time some I/O for bfqq arrives, the process that
+	 * generated that I/O is disassociated from bfqq and
+	 * associated with new_bfqq. Here we increases new_bfqq->ref
+	 * in advance, adding the number of processes that are
+	 * expected to be associated with new_bfqq as they happen to
+	 * issue I/O.
+	 */
 	new_bfqq->ref += process_refs;
 	return new_bfqq;
 }
@@ -2844,6 +2853,10 @@ bfq_setup_cooperator(struct bfq_data *bfqd, struct bfq_queue *bfqq,
 {
 	struct bfq_queue *in_service_bfqq, *new_bfqq;
 
+	/* if a merge has already been setup, then proceed with that first */
+	if (bfqq->new_bfqq)
+		return bfqq->new_bfqq;
+
 	/*
 	 * Check delayed stable merge for rotational or non-queueing
 	 * devs. For this branch to be executed, bfqq must not be
@@ -2945,9 +2958,6 @@ bfq_setup_cooperator(struct bfq_data *bfqd, struct bfq_queue *bfqq,
 	if (bfq_too_late_for_merging(bfqq))
 		return NULL;
 
-	if (bfqq->new_bfqq)
-		return bfqq->new_bfqq;
-
 	if (!io_struct || unlikely(bfqq == &bfqd->oom_bfqq))
 		return NULL;