diff --git a/kernel/sched/fair.c b/kernel/sched/fair.c
index e9d906a9bba9..d4db72f8f84e 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/fair.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/fair.c
@@ -4896,7 +4896,13 @@ check_preempt_tick(struct cfs_rq *cfs_rq, struct sched_entity *curr)
 	struct sched_entity *se;
 	s64 delta;
 
-	ideal_runtime = sched_slice(cfs_rq, curr);
+	/*
+	 * When many tasks blow up the sched_period; it is possible that
+	 * sched_slice() reports unusually large results (when many tasks are
+	 * very light for example). Therefore impose a maximum.
+	 */
+	ideal_runtime = min_t(u64, sched_slice(cfs_rq, curr), sysctl_sched_latency);
+
 	delta_exec = curr->sum_exec_runtime - curr->prev_sum_exec_runtime;
 	if (delta_exec > ideal_runtime) {
 		resched_curr(rq_of(cfs_rq));