diff --git a/fs/crypto/keyring.c b/fs/crypto/keyring.c
index 7f8ac61a20d6..71d56f8e2870 100644
--- a/fs/crypto/keyring.c
+++ b/fs/crypto/keyring.c
@@ -213,7 +213,11 @@ static int allocate_filesystem_keyring(struct super_block *sb)
 	if (IS_ERR(keyring))
 		return PTR_ERR(keyring);
 
-	/* Pairs with READ_ONCE() in fscrypt_find_master_key() */
+	/*
+	 * Pairs with the smp_load_acquire() in fscrypt_find_master_key().
+	 * I.e., here we publish ->s_master_keys with a RELEASE barrier so that
+	 * concurrent tasks can ACQUIRE it.
+	 */
 	smp_store_release(&sb->s_master_keys, keyring);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -234,8 +238,13 @@ struct key *fscrypt_find_master_key(struct super_block *sb,
 	struct key *keyring;
 	char description[FSCRYPT_MK_DESCRIPTION_SIZE];
 
-	/* pairs with smp_store_release() in allocate_filesystem_keyring() */
-	keyring = READ_ONCE(sb->s_master_keys);
+	/*
+	 * Pairs with the smp_store_release() in allocate_filesystem_keyring().
+	 * I.e., another task can publish ->s_master_keys concurrently,
+	 * executing a RELEASE barrier.  We need to use smp_load_acquire() here
+	 * to safely ACQUIRE the memory the other task published.
+	 */
+	keyring = smp_load_acquire(&sb->s_master_keys);
 	if (keyring == NULL)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOKEY); /* No keyring yet, so no keys yet. */