diff --git a/fs/nfs/inode.c b/fs/nfs/inode.c
index dc52793ff8f8..d22eb383e1cf 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/inode.c
@@ -908,21 +908,16 @@ static int nfs_size_need_update(const struct inode *inode, const struct nfs_fatt
 	return nfs_size_to_loff_t(fattr->size) > i_size_read(inode);
 }
 
-static unsigned long nfs_attr_generation_counter;
+static atomic_long_t nfs_attr_generation_counter;
 
 static unsigned long nfs_read_attr_generation_counter(void)
 {
-	smp_rmb();
-	return nfs_attr_generation_counter;
+	return atomic_long_read(&nfs_attr_generation_counter);
 }
 
 unsigned long nfs_inc_attr_generation_counter(void)
 {
-	unsigned long ret;
-	smp_rmb();
-	ret = ++nfs_attr_generation_counter;
-	smp_wmb();
-	return ret;
+	return atomic_long_inc_return(&nfs_attr_generation_counter);
 }
 
 void nfs_fattr_init(struct nfs_fattr *fattr)