diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 2af485ddc507..671c3c1a3425 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -596,14 +596,12 @@ static void terminate_walk(struct nameidata *nd)
 		path_put(&nd->path);
 		for (i = 0; i < nd->depth; i++)
 			path_put(&nd->stack[i].link);
-		if (nd->root.mnt && !(nd->flags & LOOKUP_ROOT)) {
+		if (nd->flags & LOOKUP_ROOT_GRABBED) {
 			path_put(&nd->root);
-			nd->root.mnt = NULL;
+			nd->flags &= ~LOOKUP_ROOT_GRABBED;
 		}
 	} else {
 		nd->flags &= ~LOOKUP_RCU;
-		if (!(nd->flags & LOOKUP_ROOT))
-			nd->root.mnt = NULL;
 		rcu_read_unlock();
 	}
 	nd->depth = 0;
@@ -645,6 +643,7 @@ static bool legitimize_root(struct nameidata *nd)
 {
 	if (!nd->root.mnt || (nd->flags & LOOKUP_ROOT))
 		return true;
+	nd->flags |= LOOKUP_ROOT_GRABBED;
 	return legitimize_path(nd, &nd->root, nd->root_seq);
 }
 
@@ -678,21 +677,18 @@ static int unlazy_walk(struct nameidata *nd)
 
 	nd->flags &= ~LOOKUP_RCU;
 	if (unlikely(!legitimize_links(nd)))
-		goto out2;
-	if (unlikely(!legitimize_path(nd, &nd->path, nd->seq)))
 		goto out1;
+	if (unlikely(!legitimize_path(nd, &nd->path, nd->seq)))
+		goto out;
 	if (unlikely(!legitimize_root(nd)))
 		goto out;
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 	BUG_ON(nd->inode != parent->d_inode);
 	return 0;
 
-out2:
+out1:
 	nd->path.mnt = NULL;
 	nd->path.dentry = NULL;
-out1:
-	if (!(nd->flags & LOOKUP_ROOT))
-		nd->root.mnt = NULL;
 out:
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return -ECHILD;
@@ -732,21 +728,14 @@ static int unlazy_child(struct nameidata *nd, struct dentry *dentry, unsigned se
 	 */
 	if (unlikely(!lockref_get_not_dead(&dentry->d_lockref)))
 		goto out;
-	if (unlikely(read_seqcount_retry(&dentry->d_seq, seq))) {
-		rcu_read_unlock();
-		dput(dentry);
-		goto drop_root_mnt;
-	}
+	if (unlikely(read_seqcount_retry(&dentry->d_seq, seq)))
+		goto out_dput;
 	/*
 	 * Sequence counts matched. Now make sure that the root is
 	 * still valid and get it if required.
 	 */
-	if (unlikely(!legitimize_root(nd))) {
-		rcu_read_unlock();
-		dput(dentry);
-		return -ECHILD;
-	}
-
+	if (unlikely(!legitimize_root(nd)))
+		goto out_dput;
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return 0;
 
@@ -756,9 +745,10 @@ out1:
 	nd->path.dentry = NULL;
 out:
 	rcu_read_unlock();
-drop_root_mnt:
-	if (!(nd->flags & LOOKUP_ROOT))
-		nd->root.mnt = NULL;
+	return -ECHILD;
+out_dput:
+	rcu_read_unlock();
+	dput(dentry);
 	return -ECHILD;
 }
 
@@ -822,6 +812,7 @@ static void set_root(struct nameidata *nd)
 		} while (read_seqcount_retry(&fs->seq, seq));
 	} else {
 		get_fs_root(fs, &nd->root);
+		nd->flags |= LOOKUP_ROOT_GRABBED;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1738,8 +1729,6 @@ static int pick_link(struct nameidata *nd, struct path *link,
 				nd->flags &= ~LOOKUP_RCU;
 				nd->path.mnt = NULL;
 				nd->path.dentry = NULL;
-				if (!(nd->flags & LOOKUP_ROOT))
-					nd->root.mnt = NULL;
 				rcu_read_unlock();
 			} else if (likely(unlazy_walk(nd)) == 0)
 				error = nd_alloc_stack(nd);
diff --git a/include/linux/namei.h b/include/linux/namei.h
index b7993980516e..397a08ade6a2 100644
--- a/include/linux/namei.h
+++ b/include/linux/namei.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ enum {LAST_NORM, LAST_ROOT, LAST_DOT, LAST_DOTDOT, LAST_BIND};
 #define LOOKUP_NO_REVAL		0x0080
 #define LOOKUP_JUMPED		0x1000
 #define LOOKUP_ROOT		0x2000
+#define LOOKUP_ROOT_GRABBED	0x0008
 
 extern int path_pts(struct path *path);