diff --git a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
index c9e3b5a8fe07..443ebc52e382 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
@@ -1114,7 +1114,7 @@ nfsd_create(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp,
 	 */
 	if (!resfhp->fh_dentry) {
 		/* called from nfsd_proc_mkdir, or possibly nfsd3_proc_create */
-		fh_lock(fhp);
+		fh_lock_nested(fhp, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 		dchild = lookup_one_len(fname, dentry, flen);
 		err = PTR_ERR(dchild);
 		if (IS_ERR(dchild))
@@ -1240,7 +1240,7 @@ nfsd_create_v3(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp,
 	err = nfserr_notdir;
 	if(!dirp->i_op || !dirp->i_op->lookup)
 		goto out;
-	fh_lock(fhp);
+	fh_lock_nested(fhp, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 
 	/*
 	 * Compose the response file handle.
@@ -1494,7 +1494,7 @@ nfsd_link(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *ffhp,
 	if (isdotent(name, len))
 		goto out;
 
-	fh_lock(ffhp);
+	fh_lock_nested(ffhp, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 	ddir = ffhp->fh_dentry;
 	dirp = ddir->d_inode;
 
@@ -1644,7 +1644,7 @@ nfsd_unlink(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp, int type,
 	if (err)
 		goto out;
 
-	fh_lock(fhp);
+	fh_lock_nested(fhp, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 	dentry = fhp->fh_dentry;
 	dirp = dentry->d_inode;
 
diff --git a/include/linux/nfsd/nfsfh.h b/include/linux/nfsd/nfsfh.h
index 31a3cb617ce0..069257ea99a0 100644
--- a/include/linux/nfsd/nfsfh.h
+++ b/include/linux/nfsd/nfsfh.h
@@ -290,8 +290,9 @@ fill_post_wcc(struct svc_fh *fhp)
  * vfs.c:nfsd_rename as it needs to grab 2 i_mutex's at once
  * so, any changes here should be reflected there.
  */
+
 static inline void
-fh_lock(struct svc_fh *fhp)
+fh_lock_nested(struct svc_fh *fhp, unsigned int subclass)
 {
 	struct dentry	*dentry = fhp->fh_dentry;
 	struct inode	*inode;
@@ -310,11 +311,17 @@ fh_lock(struct svc_fh *fhp)
 	}
 
 	inode = dentry->d_inode;
-	mutex_lock(&inode->i_mutex);
+	mutex_lock_nested(&inode->i_mutex, subclass);
 	fill_pre_wcc(fhp);
 	fhp->fh_locked = 1;
 }
 
+static inline void
+fh_lock(struct svc_fh *fhp)
+{
+	fh_lock_nested(fhp, I_MUTEX_NORMAL);
+}
+
 /*
  * Unlock a file handle/inode
  */