diff --git a/fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c b/fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c
index 3445035c7e01..d41843181818 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c
@@ -87,6 +87,12 @@ int __ext4_journal_stop(const char *where, unsigned int line, handle_t *handle)
 		ext4_put_nojournal(handle);
 		return 0;
 	}
+
+	if (!handle->h_transaction) {
+		err = jbd2_journal_stop(handle);
+		return handle->h_err ? handle->h_err : err;
+	}
+
 	sb = handle->h_transaction->t_journal->j_private;
 	err = handle->h_err;
 	rc = jbd2_journal_stop(handle);
diff --git a/fs/jbd2/transaction.c b/fs/jbd2/transaction.c
index 5f09370c90a8..ff2f2e6ad311 100644
--- a/fs/jbd2/transaction.c
+++ b/fs/jbd2/transaction.c
@@ -551,7 +551,6 @@ int jbd2_journal_extend(handle_t *handle, int nblocks)
 	int result;
 	int wanted;
 
-	WARN_ON(!transaction);
 	if (is_handle_aborted(handle))
 		return -EROFS;
 	journal = transaction->t_journal;
@@ -627,7 +626,6 @@ int jbd2__journal_restart(handle_t *handle, int nblocks, gfp_t gfp_mask)
 	tid_t		tid;
 	int		need_to_start, ret;
 
-	WARN_ON(!transaction);
 	/* If we've had an abort of any type, don't even think about
 	 * actually doing the restart! */
 	if (is_handle_aborted(handle))
@@ -785,7 +783,6 @@ do_get_write_access(handle_t *handle, struct journal_head *jh,
 	int need_copy = 0;
 	unsigned long start_lock, time_lock;
 
-	WARN_ON(!transaction);
 	if (is_handle_aborted(handle))
 		return -EROFS;
 	journal = transaction->t_journal;
@@ -1051,7 +1048,6 @@ int jbd2_journal_get_create_access(handle_t *handle, struct buffer_head *bh)
 	int err;
 
 	jbd_debug(5, "journal_head %p\n", jh);
-	WARN_ON(!transaction);
 	err = -EROFS;
 	if (is_handle_aborted(handle))
 		goto out;
@@ -1266,7 +1262,6 @@ int jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata(handle_t *handle, struct buffer_head *bh)
 	struct journal_head *jh;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	WARN_ON(!transaction);
 	if (is_handle_aborted(handle))
 		return -EROFS;
 	journal = transaction->t_journal;
@@ -1397,7 +1392,6 @@ int jbd2_journal_forget (handle_t *handle, struct buffer_head *bh)
 	int err = 0;
 	int was_modified = 0;
 
-	WARN_ON(!transaction);
 	if (is_handle_aborted(handle))
 		return -EROFS;
 	journal = transaction->t_journal;
@@ -1530,8 +1524,22 @@ int jbd2_journal_stop(handle_t *handle)
 	tid_t tid;
 	pid_t pid;
 
-	if (!transaction)
-		goto free_and_exit;
+	if (!transaction) {
+		/*
+		 * Handle is already detached from the transaction so
+		 * there is nothing to do other than decrease a refcount,
+		 * or free the handle if refcount drops to zero
+		 */
+		if (--handle->h_ref > 0) {
+			jbd_debug(4, "h_ref %d -> %d\n", handle->h_ref + 1,
+							 handle->h_ref);
+			return err;
+		} else {
+			if (handle->h_rsv_handle)
+				jbd2_free_handle(handle->h_rsv_handle);
+			goto free_and_exit;
+		}
+	}
 	journal = transaction->t_journal;
 
 	J_ASSERT(journal_current_handle() == handle);
@@ -2373,7 +2381,6 @@ int jbd2_journal_file_inode(handle_t *handle, struct jbd2_inode *jinode)
 	transaction_t *transaction = handle->h_transaction;
 	journal_t *journal;
 
-	WARN_ON(!transaction);
 	if (is_handle_aborted(handle))
 		return -EROFS;
 	journal = transaction->t_journal;