diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext.c b/kernel/sched/ext.c
index 2e7a1259bd7c..72a07eb050a3 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext.c
@@ -1164,10 +1164,18 @@ static void deferred_irq_workfn(struct irq_work *irq_work)
 static void schedule_deferred(struct rq *rq)
 {
 	/*
-	 * Queue an irq work. They are executed on IRQ re-enable which may take
-	 * a bit longer than the scheduler hook in schedule_deferred_locked().
+	 * This is the fallback when schedule_deferred_locked() can't use
+	 * the cheaper balance callback or wakeup hook paths (the target
+	 * CPU is not in balance or wakeup). Currently, this is primarily
+	 * hit by reenqueue operations targeting a remote CPU.
+	 *
+	 * Queue on the target CPU. The deferred work can run from any CPU
+	 * correctly - the _locked() path already processes remote rqs from
+	 * the calling CPU - but targeting the owning CPU allows IPI delivery
+	 * without waiting for the calling CPU to re-enable IRQs and is
+	 * cheaper as the reenqueue runs locally.
 	 */
-	irq_work_queue(&rq->scx.deferred_irq_work);
+	irq_work_queue_on(&rq->scx.deferred_irq_work, cpu_of(rq));
 }
 
 /**