diff --git a/src/core/lib/iomgr/ev_epollsig_linux.c b/src/core/lib/iomgr/ev_epollsig_linux.c
index 11067e39590b6e8136d1ad46ac24bd576166d54a..070d75e42a0c327790ae794df3551f5f5779dd8e 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/iomgr/ev_epollsig_linux.c
+++ b/src/core/lib/iomgr/ev_epollsig_linux.c
@@ -1730,7 +1730,7 @@ const grpc_event_engine_vtable *grpc_init_epollsig_linux(
   if (!is_grpc_wakeup_signal_initialized) {
     /* TODO(ctiller): when other epoll engines are ready, remove the true || to
      * force this to be explitly chosen if needed */
-    if (explicit_request) {
+    if (true || explicit_request) {
       grpc_use_signal(SIGRTMIN + 6);
     } else {
       return NULL;