diff --git a/Documentation/core-api/padata.rst b/Documentation/core-api/padata.rst
index 771d50330e5b..35175710b43c 100644
--- a/Documentation/core-api/padata.rst
+++ b/Documentation/core-api/padata.rst
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ padata_instance structure for overall control of how jobs are to be run::
 
     #include <linux/padata.h>
 
-    struct padata_instance *padata_alloc_possible(const char *name);
+    struct padata_instance *padata_alloc(const char *name);
 
 'name' simply identifies the instance.
 
diff --git a/crypto/pcrypt.c b/crypto/pcrypt.c
index 2d4ac9d44902..d569c7ed6c80 100644
--- a/crypto/pcrypt.c
+++ b/crypto/pcrypt.c
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ static int pcrypt_init_padata(struct padata_instance **pinst, const char *name)
 {
 	int ret = -ENOMEM;
 
-	*pinst = padata_alloc_possible(name);
+	*pinst = padata_alloc(name);
 	if (!*pinst)
 		return ret;
 
diff --git a/include/linux/padata.h b/include/linux/padata.h
index a941b96b7119..070a7d43e8af 100644
--- a/include/linux/padata.h
+++ b/include/linux/padata.h
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ extern void __init padata_init(void);
 static inline void __init padata_init(void) {}
 #endif
 
-extern struct padata_instance *padata_alloc_possible(const char *name);
+extern struct padata_instance *padata_alloc(const char *name);
 extern void padata_free(struct padata_instance *pinst);
 extern struct padata_shell *padata_alloc_shell(struct padata_instance *pinst);
 extern void padata_free_shell(struct padata_shell *ps);
diff --git a/kernel/padata.c b/kernel/padata.c
index 4f0a57e5738c..1c0b97891edb 100644
--- a/kernel/padata.c
+++ b/kernel/padata.c
@@ -979,18 +979,12 @@ static struct kobj_type padata_attr_type = {
 };
 
 /**
- * padata_alloc - allocate and initialize a padata instance and specify
- *                cpumasks for serial and parallel workers.
- *
+ * padata_alloc - allocate and initialize a padata instance
  * @name: used to identify the instance
- * @pcpumask: cpumask that will be used for padata parallelization
- * @cbcpumask: cpumask that will be used for padata serialization
  *
  * Return: new instance on success, NULL on error
  */
-static struct padata_instance *padata_alloc(const char *name,
-					    const struct cpumask *pcpumask,
-					    const struct cpumask *cbcpumask)
+struct padata_instance *padata_alloc(const char *name)
 {
 	struct padata_instance *pinst;
 
@@ -1016,14 +1010,11 @@ static struct padata_instance *padata_alloc(const char *name,
 		free_cpumask_var(pinst->cpumask.pcpu);
 		goto err_free_serial_wq;
 	}
-	if (!padata_validate_cpumask(pinst, pcpumask) ||
-	    !padata_validate_cpumask(pinst, cbcpumask))
-		goto err_free_masks;
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&pinst->pslist);
 
-	cpumask_copy(pinst->cpumask.pcpu, pcpumask);
-	cpumask_copy(pinst->cpumask.cbcpu, cbcpumask);
+	cpumask_copy(pinst->cpumask.pcpu, cpu_possible_mask);
+	cpumask_copy(pinst->cpumask.cbcpu, cpu_possible_mask);
 
 	if (padata_setup_cpumasks(pinst))
 		goto err_free_masks;
@@ -1057,21 +1048,7 @@ static struct padata_instance *padata_alloc(const char *name,
 err:
 	return NULL;
 }
-
-/**
- * padata_alloc_possible - Allocate and initialize padata instance.
- *                         Use the cpu_possible_mask for serial and
- *                         parallel workers.
- *
- * @name: used to identify the instance
- *
- * Return: new instance on success, NULL on error
- */
-struct padata_instance *padata_alloc_possible(const char *name)
-{
-	return padata_alloc(name, cpu_possible_mask, cpu_possible_mask);
-}
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(padata_alloc_possible);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(padata_alloc);
 
 /**
  * padata_free - free a padata instance