diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c b/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
index 44d974d4159f..0c50d7410b31 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <linux/tty.h>
 #include <linux/sched.h>
 #include <linux/mm.h>
+#include <linux/mutex.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/types.h>
 
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ static volatile int sel_start = -1; 	/* cleared by clear_selection */
 static int sel_end;
 static int sel_buffer_lth;
 static char *sel_buffer;
+static DEFINE_MUTEX(sel_lock);
 
 /* clear_selection, highlight and highlight_pointer can be called
    from interrupt (via scrollback/front) */
@@ -186,7 +188,7 @@ int set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *tty)
 	char *bp, *obp;
 	int i, ps, pe, multiplier;
 	u32 c;
-	int mode;
+	int mode, ret = 0;
 
 	poke_blanked_console();
 
@@ -212,6 +214,7 @@ int set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *tty)
 	if (ps > pe)	/* make sel_start <= sel_end */
 		swap(ps, pe);
 
+	mutex_lock(&sel_lock);
 	if (sel_cons != vc_cons[fg_console].d) {
 		clear_selection();
 		sel_cons = vc_cons[fg_console].d;
@@ -257,9 +260,10 @@ int set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *tty)
 			break;
 		case TIOCL_SELPOINTER:
 			highlight_pointer(pe);
-			return 0;
+			goto unlock;
 		default:
-			return -EINVAL;
+			ret = -EINVAL;
+			goto unlock;
 	}
 
 	/* remove the pointer */
@@ -281,7 +285,7 @@ int set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *tty)
 	else if (new_sel_start == sel_start)
 	{
 		if (new_sel_end == sel_end)	/* no action required */
-			return 0;
+			goto unlock;
 		else if (new_sel_end > sel_end)	/* extend to right */
 			highlight(sel_end + 2, new_sel_end);
 		else				/* contract from right */
@@ -309,7 +313,8 @@ int set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *tty)
 	if (!bp) {
 		printk(KERN_WARNING "selection: kmalloc() failed\n");
 		clear_selection();
-		return -ENOMEM;
+		ret = -ENOMEM;
+		goto unlock;
 	}
 	kfree(sel_buffer);
 	sel_buffer = bp;
@@ -334,7 +339,9 @@ int set_selection_kernel(struct tiocl_selection *v, struct tty_struct *tty)
 		}
 	}
 	sel_buffer_lth = bp - sel_buffer;
-	return 0;
+unlock:
+	mutex_unlock(&sel_lock);
+	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(set_selection_kernel);
 
@@ -364,6 +371,7 @@ int paste_selection(struct tty_struct *tty)
 	tty_buffer_lock_exclusive(&vc->port);
 
 	add_wait_queue(&vc->paste_wait, &wait);
+	mutex_lock(&sel_lock);
 	while (sel_buffer && sel_buffer_lth > pasted) {
 		set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
 		if (signal_pending(current)) {
@@ -371,7 +379,9 @@ int paste_selection(struct tty_struct *tty)
 			break;
 		}
 		if (tty_throttled(tty)) {
+			mutex_unlock(&sel_lock);
 			schedule();
+			mutex_lock(&sel_lock);
 			continue;
 		}
 		__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
@@ -380,6 +390,7 @@ int paste_selection(struct tty_struct *tty)
 					      count);
 		pasted += count;
 	}
+	mutex_unlock(&sel_lock);
 	remove_wait_queue(&vc->paste_wait, &wait);
 	__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);