diff --git a/block/blk-cgroup.c b/block/blk-cgroup.c
index 04d286934c5e..440797293235 100644
--- a/block/blk-cgroup.c
+++ b/block/blk-cgroup.c
@@ -1390,7 +1390,8 @@ int blkcg_activate_policy(struct request_queue *q,
 
 	spin_lock_irq(&q->queue_lock);
 
-	list_for_each_entry(blkg, &q->blkg_list, q_node) {
+	/* blkg_list is pushed at the head, reverse walk to init parents first */
+	list_for_each_entry_reverse(blkg, &q->blkg_list, q_node) {
 		struct blkg_policy_data *pd;
 
 		if (blkg->pd[pol->plid])