diff --git a/mm/slub.c b/mm/slub.c
index 3e8afcc07a76..fa86e5845093 100644
--- a/mm/slub.c
+++ b/mm/slub.c
@@ -4604,6 +4604,14 @@ static ssize_t trace_show(struct kmem_cache *s, char *buf)
 static ssize_t trace_store(struct kmem_cache *s, const char *buf,
 							size_t length)
 {
+	/*
+	 * Tracing a merged cache is going to give confusing results
+	 * as well as cause other issues like converting a mergeable
+	 * cache into an umergeable one.
+	 */
+	if (s->refcount > 1)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	s->flags &= ~SLAB_TRACE;
 	if (buf[0] == '1') {
 		s->flags &= ~__CMPXCHG_DOUBLE;
@@ -4721,6 +4729,9 @@ static ssize_t failslab_show(struct kmem_cache *s, char *buf)
 static ssize_t failslab_store(struct kmem_cache *s, const char *buf,
 							size_t length)
 {
+	if (s->refcount > 1)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	s->flags &= ~SLAB_FAILSLAB;
 	if (buf[0] == '1')
 		s->flags |= SLAB_FAILSLAB;