diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/harddog_kern.c b/arch/um/drivers/harddog_kern.c
index cfcac1ff4cf2..86036276020f 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/harddog_kern.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/harddog_kern.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 #include <linux/miscdevice.h>
 #include <linux/watchdog.h>
 #include <linux/reboot.h>
-#include <linux/smp_lock.h>
+#include <linux/mutex.h>
 #include <linux/init.h>
 #include <linux/spinlock.h>
 #include <asm/uaccess.h>
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 
 MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
 
+static DEFINE_MUTEX(harddog_mutex);
 static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(lock);
 static int timer_alive;
 static int harddog_in_fd = -1;
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ static int harddog_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	int err = -EBUSY;
 	char *sock = NULL;
 
-	lock_kernel();
+	mutex_lock(&harddog_mutex);
 	spin_lock(&lock);
 	if(timer_alive)
 		goto err;
@@ -83,11 +84,11 @@ static int harddog_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 
 	timer_alive = 1;
 	spin_unlock(&lock);
-	unlock_kernel();
+	mutex_unlock(&harddog_mutex);
 	return nonseekable_open(inode, file);
 err:
 	spin_unlock(&lock);
-	unlock_kernel();
+	mutex_unlock(&harddog_mutex);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -153,9 +154,9 @@ static long harddog_ioctl(struct file *file,
 {
 	long ret;
 
-	lock_kernel();
+	mutex_lock(&harddog_mutex);
 	ret = harddog_ioctl_unlocked(file, cmd, arg);
-	unlock_kernel();
+	mutex_unlock(&harddog_mutex);
 
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/hostaudio_kern.c b/arch/um/drivers/hostaudio_kern.c
index 0c46e398cd8f..d92ff6d60297 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/hostaudio_kern.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/hostaudio_kern.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "linux/slab.h"
 #include "linux/sound.h"
 #include "linux/soundcard.h"
-#include "linux/smp_lock.h"
+#include "linux/mutex.h"
 #include "asm/uaccess.h"
 #include "init.h"
 #include "os.h"
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(mixer, MIXER_HELP);
 
 #endif
 
+static DEFINE_MUTEX(hostaudio_mutex);
+
 /* /dev/dsp file operations */
 
 static ssize_t hostaudio_read(struct file *file, char __user *buffer,
@@ -202,9 +204,9 @@ static int hostaudio_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 		w = 1;
 
 	kparam_block_sysfs_write(dsp);
-	lock_kernel();
+	mutex_lock(&hostaudio_mutex);
 	ret = os_open_file(dsp, of_set_rw(OPENFLAGS(), r, w), 0);
-	unlock_kernel();
+	mutex_unlock(&hostaudio_mutex);
 	kparam_unblock_sysfs_write(dsp);
 
 	if (ret < 0) {
@@ -263,9 +265,9 @@ static int hostmixer_open_mixdev(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 		w = 1;
 
 	kparam_block_sysfs_write(mixer);
-	lock_kernel();
+	mutex_lock(&hostaudio_mutex);
 	ret = os_open_file(mixer, of_set_rw(OPENFLAGS(), r, w), 0);
-	unlock_kernel();
+	mutex_unlock(&hostaudio_mutex);
 	kparam_unblock_sysfs_write(mixer);
 
 	if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/ubd_kern.c b/arch/um/drivers/ubd_kern.c
index 1bcd208c459f..0c053607ce98 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/ubd_kern.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/ubd_kern.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 #include "linux/mm.h"
 #include "linux/slab.h"
 #include "linux/vmalloc.h"
-#include "linux/smp_lock.h"
+#include "linux/mutex.h"
 #include "linux/blkpg.h"
 #include "linux/genhd.h"
 #include "linux/spinlock.h"
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ static inline void ubd_set_bit(__u64 bit, unsigned char *data)
 #define DRIVER_NAME "uml-blkdev"
 
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(ubd_lock);
+static DEFINE_MUTEX(ubd_mutex); /* replaces BKL, might not be needed */
 
 static int ubd_open(struct block_device *bdev, fmode_t mode);
 static int ubd_release(struct gendisk *disk, fmode_t mode);
@@ -1099,7 +1100,7 @@ static int ubd_open(struct block_device *bdev, fmode_t mode)
 	struct ubd *ubd_dev = disk->private_data;
 	int err = 0;
 
-	lock_kernel();
+	mutex_lock(&ubd_mutex);
 	if(ubd_dev->count == 0){
 		err = ubd_open_dev(ubd_dev);
 		if(err){
@@ -1118,7 +1119,7 @@ static int ubd_open(struct block_device *bdev, fmode_t mode)
 	        err = -EROFS;
 	}*/
 out:
-	unlock_kernel();
+	mutex_unlock(&ubd_mutex);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1126,10 +1127,10 @@ static int ubd_release(struct gendisk *disk, fmode_t mode)
 {
 	struct ubd *ubd_dev = disk->private_data;
 
-	lock_kernel();
+	mutex_lock(&ubd_mutex);
 	if(--ubd_dev->count == 0)
 		ubd_close_dev(ubd_dev);
-	unlock_kernel();
+	mutex_unlock(&ubd_mutex);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/arch/um/kernel/exec.c b/arch/um/kernel/exec.c
index cd145eda3579..460ce86f4019 100644
--- a/arch/um/kernel/exec.c
+++ b/arch/um/kernel/exec.c
@@ -78,13 +78,11 @@ long sys_execve(const char __user *file, char __user *__user *argv,
 	long error;
 	char *filename;
 
-	lock_kernel();
 	filename = getname(file);
 	error = PTR_ERR(filename);
 	if (IS_ERR(filename)) goto out;
 	error = execve1(filename, argv, env);
 	putname(filename);
  out:
-	unlock_kernel();
 	return error;
 }