diff --git a/kernel/locking/rtmutex.c b/kernel/locking/rtmutex.c
index 3c1ba7b9a326..8eabdc79602b 100644
--- a/kernel/locking/rtmutex.c
+++ b/kernel/locking/rtmutex.c
@@ -742,8 +742,21 @@ static int __sched rt_mutex_adjust_prio_chain(struct task_struct *task,
 	 * walk, we detected a deadlock.
 	 */
 	if (lock == orig_lock || rt_mutex_owner(lock) == top_task) {
-		raw_spin_unlock(&lock->wait_lock);
 		ret = -EDEADLK;
+
+		/*
+		 * When the deadlock is due to ww_mutex; also see above. Don't
+		 * report the deadlock and instead let the ww_mutex wound/die
+		 * logic pick which of the contending threads gets -EDEADLK.
+		 *
+		 * NOTE: assumes the cycle only contains a single ww_class; any
+		 * other configuration and we fail to report; also, see
+		 * lockdep.
+		 */
+		if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PREEMPT_RT) && orig_waiter->ww_ctx)
+			ret = 0;
+
+		raw_spin_unlock(&lock->wait_lock);
 		goto out_unlock_pi;
 	}