diff --git a/block/blk-merge.c b/block/blk-merge.c
index bbe66a9010bf..bb26db93ad1d 100644
--- a/block/blk-merge.c
+++ b/block/blk-merge.c
@@ -279,6 +279,16 @@ static struct bio *blk_bio_segment_split(struct request_queue *q,
 	*segs = nsegs;
 	return NULL;
 split:
+	/*
+	 * We can't sanely support splitting for a REQ_NOWAIT bio. End it
+	 * with EAGAIN if splitting is required and return an error pointer.
+	 */
+	if (bio->bi_opf & REQ_NOWAIT) {
+		bio->bi_status = BLK_STS_AGAIN;
+		bio_endio(bio);
+		return ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
+	}
+
 	*segs = nsegs;
 
 	/*