diff --git a/libc/bionic/mmap.cpp b/libc/bionic/mmap.cpp
index 28a47cc9d..8f25a8941 100644
--- a/libc/bionic/mmap.cpp
+++ b/libc/bionic/mmap.cpp
@@ -37,16 +37,23 @@ extern "C" void*  __mmap2(void*, size_t, int, int, int, size_t);
 
 #define MMAP2_SHIFT 12 // 2**12 == 4096
 
+static bool kernel_has_MADV_MERGEABLE = true;
+
 void* mmap64(void* addr, size_t size, int prot, int flags, int fd, off64_t offset) {
   if (offset < 0 || (offset & ((1UL << MMAP2_SHIFT)-1)) != 0) {
     errno = EINVAL;
     return MAP_FAILED;
   }
 
+  bool is_private_anonymous = (flags & (MAP_PRIVATE | MAP_ANONYMOUS)) != 0;
   void* result = __mmap2(addr, size, prot, flags, fd, offset >> MMAP2_SHIFT);
-  if (result != MAP_FAILED && (flags & (MAP_PRIVATE | MAP_ANONYMOUS)) != 0) {
+
+  if (result != MAP_FAILED && kernel_has_MADV_MERGEABLE && is_private_anonymous) {
     ErrnoRestorer errno_restorer;
-    madvise(result, size, MADV_MERGEABLE);
+    int rc = madvise(result, size, MADV_MERGEABLE);
+    if (rc == -1 && errno == EINVAL) {
+      kernel_has_MADV_MERGEABLE = false;
+    }
   }
 
   return result;