diff --git a/mm/migrate.c b/mm/migrate.c
index 5e4c3f2f7532..2522829f6c19 100644
--- a/mm/migrate.c
+++ b/mm/migrate.c
@@ -1758,7 +1758,12 @@ static int migrate_pages_batch(struct list_head *from,
 
 			/*
 			 * The rare folio on the deferred split list should
-			 * be split now. It should not count as a failure.
+			 * be split now. It should not count as a failure:
+			 * but increment nr_failed because, without doing so,
+			 * migrate_pages() may report success with (split but
+			 * unmigrated) pages still on its fromlist; whereas it
+			 * always reports success when its fromlist is empty.
+			 *
 			 * Only check it without removing it from the list.
 			 * Since the folio can be on deferred_split_scan()
 			 * local list and removing it can cause the local list
@@ -1773,6 +1778,7 @@ static int migrate_pages_batch(struct list_head *from,
 			if (nr_pages > 2 &&
 			   !list_empty(&folio->_deferred_list)) {
 				if (try_split_folio(folio, split_folios, reason) == 0) {
+					nr_failed++;
 					stats->nr_thp_split += is_thp;
 					continue;
 				}