diff --git a/fs/dcache.c b/fs/dcache.c
index 2355bddad8d..2bac4ba1d1d 100644
--- a/fs/dcache.c
+++ b/fs/dcache.c
@@ -548,6 +548,136 @@ repeat:
 	spin_unlock(&dcache_lock);
 }
 
+/*
+ * destroy a single subtree of dentries for unmount
+ * - see the comments on shrink_dcache_for_umount() for a description of the
+ *   locking
+ */
+static void shrink_dcache_for_umount_subtree(struct dentry *dentry)
+{
+	struct dentry *parent;
+
+	BUG_ON(!IS_ROOT(dentry));
+
+	/* detach this root from the system */
+	spin_lock(&dcache_lock);
+	if (!list_empty(&dentry->d_lru)) {
+		dentry_stat.nr_unused--;
+		list_del_init(&dentry->d_lru);
+	}
+	__d_drop(dentry);
+	spin_unlock(&dcache_lock);
+
+	for (;;) {
+		/* descend to the first leaf in the current subtree */
+		while (!list_empty(&dentry->d_subdirs)) {
+			struct dentry *loop;
+
+			/* this is a branch with children - detach all of them
+			 * from the system in one go */
+			spin_lock(&dcache_lock);
+			list_for_each_entry(loop, &dentry->d_subdirs,
+					    d_u.d_child) {
+				if (!list_empty(&loop->d_lru)) {
+					dentry_stat.nr_unused--;
+					list_del_init(&loop->d_lru);
+				}
+
+				__d_drop(loop);
+				cond_resched_lock(&dcache_lock);
+			}
+			spin_unlock(&dcache_lock);
+
+			/* move to the first child */
+			dentry = list_entry(dentry->d_subdirs.next,
+					    struct dentry, d_u.d_child);
+		}
+
+		/* consume the dentries from this leaf up through its parents
+		 * until we find one with children or run out altogether */
+		do {
+			struct inode *inode;
+
+			if (atomic_read(&dentry->d_count) != 0) {
+				printk(KERN_ERR
+				       "BUG: Dentry %p{i=%lx,n=%s}"
+				       " still in use (%d)"
+				       " [unmount of %s %s]\n",
+				       dentry,
+				       dentry->d_inode ?
+				       dentry->d_inode->i_ino : 0UL,
+				       dentry->d_name.name,
+				       atomic_read(&dentry->d_count),
+				       dentry->d_sb->s_type->name,
+				       dentry->d_sb->s_id);
+				BUG();
+			}
+
+			parent = dentry->d_parent;
+			if (parent == dentry)
+				parent = NULL;
+			else
+				atomic_dec(&parent->d_count);
+
+			list_del(&dentry->d_u.d_child);
+			dentry_stat.nr_dentry--;	/* For d_free, below */
+
+			inode = dentry->d_inode;
+			if (inode) {
+				dentry->d_inode = NULL;
+				list_del_init(&dentry->d_alias);
+				if (dentry->d_op && dentry->d_op->d_iput)
+					dentry->d_op->d_iput(dentry, inode);
+				else
+					iput(inode);
+			}
+
+			d_free(dentry);
+
+			/* finished when we fall off the top of the tree,
+			 * otherwise we ascend to the parent and move to the
+			 * next sibling if there is one */
+			if (!parent)
+				return;
+
+			dentry = parent;
+
+		} while (list_empty(&dentry->d_subdirs));
+
+		dentry = list_entry(dentry->d_subdirs.next,
+				    struct dentry, d_u.d_child);
+	}
+}
+
+/*
+ * destroy the dentries attached to a superblock on unmounting
+ * - we don't need to use dentry->d_lock, and only need dcache_lock when
+ *   removing the dentry from the system lists and hashes because:
+ *   - the superblock is detached from all mountings and open files, so the
+ *     dentry trees will not be rearranged by the VFS
+ *   - s_umount is write-locked, so the memory pressure shrinker will ignore
+ *     any dentries belonging to this superblock that it comes across
+ *   - the filesystem itself is no longer permitted to rearrange the dentries
+ *     in this superblock
+ */
+void shrink_dcache_for_umount(struct super_block *sb)
+{
+	struct dentry *dentry;
+
+	if (down_read_trylock(&sb->s_umount))
+		BUG();
+
+	dentry = sb->s_root;
+	sb->s_root = NULL;
+	atomic_dec(&dentry->d_count);
+	shrink_dcache_for_umount_subtree(dentry);
+
+	while (!hlist_empty(&sb->s_anon)) {
+		dentry = hlist_entry(sb->s_anon.first, struct dentry, d_hash);
+		shrink_dcache_for_umount_subtree(dentry);
+	}
+}
+
 /*
  * Search for at least 1 mount point in the dentry's subdirs.
  * We descend to the next level whenever the d_subdirs
diff --git a/fs/super.c b/fs/super.c
index aec99ddbe53..47e554c12e7 100644
--- a/fs/super.c
+++ b/fs/super.c
@@ -260,17 +260,17 @@ int fsync_super(struct super_block *sb)
  *	that need destruction out of superblock, call generic_shutdown_super()
  *	and release aforementioned objects.  Note: dentries and inodes _are_
  *	taken care of and do not need specific handling.
+ *
+ *	Upon calling this function, the filesystem may no longer alter or
+ *	rearrange the set of dentries belonging to this super_block, nor may it
+ *	change the attachments of dentries to inodes.
  */
 void generic_shutdown_super(struct super_block *sb)
 {
-	struct dentry *root = sb->s_root;
 	struct super_operations *sop = sb->s_op;
 
-	if (root) {
-		sb->s_root = NULL;
-		shrink_dcache_parent(root);
-		shrink_dcache_sb(sb);
-		dput(root);
+	if (sb->s_root) {
+		shrink_dcache_for_umount(sb);
 		fsync_super(sb);
 		lock_super(sb);
 		sb->s_flags &= ~MS_ACTIVE;
diff --git a/include/linux/dcache.h b/include/linux/dcache.h
index 44605be5940..63f64a9a5bf 100644
--- a/include/linux/dcache.h
+++ b/include/linux/dcache.h
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ extern struct dentry * d_alloc_anon(struct inode *);
 extern struct dentry * d_splice_alias(struct inode *, struct dentry *);
 extern void shrink_dcache_sb(struct super_block *);
 extern void shrink_dcache_parent(struct dentry *);
+extern void shrink_dcache_for_umount(struct super_block *);
 extern int d_invalidate(struct dentry *);
 
 /* only used at mount-time */