diff --git a/fs/ceph/dir.c b/fs/ceph/dir.c
index fba974dac48b..b889a3b555cf 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/dir.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/dir.c
@@ -752,7 +752,8 @@ static struct dentry *ceph_lookup(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 		mask |= CEPH_CAP_XATTR_SHARED;
 	req->r_args.getattr.mask = cpu_to_le32(mask);
 
-	req->r_locked_dir = dir;
+	req->r_parent = dir;
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	err = ceph_mdsc_do_request(mdsc, NULL, req);
 	err = ceph_handle_snapdir(req, dentry, err);
 	dentry = ceph_finish_lookup(req, dentry, err);
@@ -813,7 +814,8 @@ static int ceph_mknod(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 	}
 	req->r_dentry = dget(dentry);
 	req->r_num_caps = 2;
-	req->r_locked_dir = dir;
+	req->r_parent = dir;
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	req->r_args.mknod.mode = cpu_to_le32(mode);
 	req->r_args.mknod.rdev = cpu_to_le32(rdev);
 	req->r_dentry_drop = CEPH_CAP_FILE_SHARED;
@@ -864,7 +866,8 @@ static int ceph_symlink(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 		ceph_mdsc_put_request(req);
 		goto out;
 	}
-	req->r_locked_dir = dir;
+	req->r_parent = dir;
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	req->r_dentry = dget(dentry);
 	req->r_num_caps = 2;
 	req->r_dentry_drop = CEPH_CAP_FILE_SHARED;
@@ -913,7 +916,8 @@ static int ceph_mkdir(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry, umode_t mode)
 
 	req->r_dentry = dget(dentry);
 	req->r_num_caps = 2;
-	req->r_locked_dir = dir;
+	req->r_parent = dir;
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	req->r_args.mkdir.mode = cpu_to_le32(mode);
 	req->r_dentry_drop = CEPH_CAP_FILE_SHARED;
 	req->r_dentry_unless = CEPH_CAP_FILE_EXCL;
@@ -957,7 +961,8 @@ static int ceph_link(struct dentry *old_dentry, struct inode *dir,
 	req->r_dentry = dget(dentry);
 	req->r_num_caps = 2;
 	req->r_old_dentry = dget(old_dentry);
-	req->r_locked_dir = dir;
+	req->r_parent = dir;
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	req->r_dentry_drop = CEPH_CAP_FILE_SHARED;
 	req->r_dentry_unless = CEPH_CAP_FILE_EXCL;
 	/* release LINK_SHARED on source inode (mds will lock it) */
@@ -1023,7 +1028,8 @@ static int ceph_unlink(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry)
 	}
 	req->r_dentry = dget(dentry);
 	req->r_num_caps = 2;
-	req->r_locked_dir = dir;
+	req->r_parent = dir;
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	req->r_dentry_drop = CEPH_CAP_FILE_SHARED;
 	req->r_dentry_unless = CEPH_CAP_FILE_EXCL;
 	req->r_inode_drop = drop_caps_for_unlink(inode);
@@ -1066,7 +1072,8 @@ static int ceph_rename(struct inode *old_dir, struct dentry *old_dentry,
 	req->r_num_caps = 2;
 	req->r_old_dentry = dget(old_dentry);
 	req->r_old_dentry_dir = old_dir;
-	req->r_locked_dir = new_dir;
+	req->r_parent = new_dir;
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	req->r_old_dentry_drop = CEPH_CAP_FILE_SHARED;
 	req->r_old_dentry_unless = CEPH_CAP_FILE_EXCL;
 	req->r_dentry_drop = CEPH_CAP_FILE_SHARED;
diff --git a/fs/ceph/export.c b/fs/ceph/export.c
index 180bbef760f2..e8f11fa565c5 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/export.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/export.c
@@ -207,7 +207,8 @@ static int ceph_get_name(struct dentry *parent, char *name,
 	req->r_inode = d_inode(child);
 	ihold(d_inode(child));
 	req->r_ino2 = ceph_vino(d_inode(parent));
-	req->r_locked_dir = d_inode(parent);
+	req->r_parent = d_inode(parent);
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	req->r_num_caps = 2;
 	err = ceph_mdsc_do_request(mdsc, NULL, req);
 
diff --git a/fs/ceph/file.c b/fs/ceph/file.c
index 19419eb87f38..a91239c4b31c 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/file.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/file.c
@@ -310,7 +310,8 @@ int ceph_atomic_open(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
                mask |= CEPH_CAP_XATTR_SHARED;
        req->r_args.open.mask = cpu_to_le32(mask);
 
-	req->r_locked_dir = dir;           /* caller holds dir->i_mutex */
+	req->r_parent = dir;
+	set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags);
 	err = ceph_mdsc_do_request(mdsc,
 				   (flags & (O_CREAT|O_TRUNC)) ? dir : NULL,
 				   req);
diff --git a/fs/ceph/inode.c b/fs/ceph/inode.c
index e54ba03d3df7..cb94ec7961d2 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/inode.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/inode.c
@@ -1122,13 +1122,13 @@ int ceph_fill_trace(struct super_block *sb, struct ceph_mds_request *req)
 
 	if (!rinfo->head->is_target && !rinfo->head->is_dentry) {
 		dout("fill_trace reply is empty!\n");
-		if (rinfo->head->result == 0 && req->r_locked_dir)
+		if (rinfo->head->result == 0 && req->r_parent)
 			ceph_invalidate_dir_request(req);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
 	if (rinfo->head->is_dentry) {
-		struct inode *dir = req->r_locked_dir;
+		struct inode *dir = req->r_parent;
 
 		if (dir) {
 			err = fill_inode(dir, NULL,
@@ -1216,7 +1216,8 @@ int ceph_fill_trace(struct super_block *sb, struct ceph_mds_request *req)
 	 * ignore null lease/binding on snapdir ENOENT, or else we
 	 * will have trouble splicing in the virtual snapdir later
 	 */
-	if (rinfo->head->is_dentry && req->r_locked_dir &&
+	if (rinfo->head->is_dentry &&
+	    test_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED, &req->r_req_flags) &&
 	    (rinfo->head->is_target || strncmp(req->r_dentry->d_name.name,
 					       fsc->mount_options->snapdir_name,
 					       req->r_dentry->d_name.len))) {
@@ -1225,7 +1226,7 @@ int ceph_fill_trace(struct super_block *sb, struct ceph_mds_request *req)
 		 * mknod symlink mkdir  : null -> new inode
 		 * unlink               : linked -> null
 		 */
-		struct inode *dir = req->r_locked_dir;
+		struct inode *dir = req->r_parent;
 		struct dentry *dn = req->r_dentry;
 		bool have_dir_cap, have_lease;
 
@@ -1322,7 +1323,7 @@ int ceph_fill_trace(struct super_block *sb, struct ceph_mds_request *req)
 	} else if (req->r_op == CEPH_MDS_OP_LOOKUPSNAP ||
 		   req->r_op == CEPH_MDS_OP_MKSNAP) {
 		struct dentry *dn = req->r_dentry;
-		struct inode *dir = req->r_locked_dir;
+		struct inode *dir = req->r_parent;
 
 		/* fill out a snapdir LOOKUPSNAP dentry */
 		BUG_ON(!dn);
diff --git a/fs/ceph/mds_client.c b/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
index ccf75a3260e8..52521f339745 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
@@ -547,8 +547,8 @@ void ceph_mdsc_release_request(struct kref *kref)
 		ceph_put_cap_refs(ceph_inode(req->r_inode), CEPH_CAP_PIN);
 		iput(req->r_inode);
 	}
-	if (req->r_locked_dir)
-		ceph_put_cap_refs(ceph_inode(req->r_locked_dir), CEPH_CAP_PIN);
+	if (req->r_parent)
+		ceph_put_cap_refs(ceph_inode(req->r_parent), CEPH_CAP_PIN);
 	iput(req->r_target_inode);
 	if (req->r_dentry)
 		dput(req->r_dentry);
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ static int __choose_mds(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 
 		rcu_read_lock();
 		parent = req->r_dentry->d_parent;
-		dir = req->r_locked_dir ? : d_inode_rcu(parent);
+		dir = req->r_parent ? : d_inode_rcu(parent);
 
 		if (!dir || dir->i_sb != mdsc->fsc->sb) {
 			/*  not this fs or parent went negative */
@@ -1894,7 +1894,7 @@ static struct ceph_msg *create_request_message(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 	int ret;
 
 	ret = set_request_path_attr(req->r_inode, req->r_dentry,
-			      req->r_locked_dir, req->r_path1, req->r_ino1.ino,
+			      req->r_parent, req->r_path1, req->r_ino1.ino,
 			      &path1, &pathlen1, &ino1, &freepath1);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		msg = ERR_PTR(ret);
@@ -1956,7 +1956,7 @@ static struct ceph_msg *create_request_message(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 		      mds, req->r_inode_drop, req->r_inode_unless, 0);
 	if (req->r_dentry_drop)
 		releases += ceph_encode_dentry_release(&p, req->r_dentry,
-				req->r_locked_dir, mds, req->r_dentry_drop,
+				req->r_parent, mds, req->r_dentry_drop,
 				req->r_dentry_unless);
 	if (req->r_old_dentry_drop)
 		releases += ceph_encode_dentry_release(&p, req->r_old_dentry,
@@ -2095,14 +2095,14 @@ static int __prepare_send_request(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 	rhead->oldest_client_tid = cpu_to_le64(__get_oldest_tid(mdsc));
 	if (test_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_GOT_UNSAFE, &req->r_req_flags))
 		flags |= CEPH_MDS_FLAG_REPLAY;
-	if (req->r_locked_dir)
+	if (req->r_parent)
 		flags |= CEPH_MDS_FLAG_WANT_DENTRY;
 	rhead->flags = cpu_to_le32(flags);
 	rhead->num_fwd = req->r_num_fwd;
 	rhead->num_retry = req->r_attempts - 1;
 	rhead->ino = 0;
 
-	dout(" r_locked_dir = %p\n", req->r_locked_dir);
+	dout(" r_parent = %p\n", req->r_parent);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2282,11 +2282,11 @@ int ceph_mdsc_do_request(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 
 	dout("do_request on %p\n", req);
 
-	/* take CAP_PIN refs for r_inode, r_locked_dir, r_old_dentry */
+	/* take CAP_PIN refs for r_inode, r_parent, r_old_dentry */
 	if (req->r_inode)
 		ceph_get_cap_refs(ceph_inode(req->r_inode), CEPH_CAP_PIN);
-	if (req->r_locked_dir)
-		ceph_get_cap_refs(ceph_inode(req->r_locked_dir), CEPH_CAP_PIN);
+	if (req->r_parent)
+		ceph_get_cap_refs(ceph_inode(req->r_parent), CEPH_CAP_PIN);
 	if (req->r_old_dentry_dir)
 		ceph_get_cap_refs(ceph_inode(req->r_old_dentry_dir),
 				  CEPH_CAP_PIN);
@@ -2336,7 +2336,7 @@ int ceph_mdsc_do_request(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
 		set_bit(CEPH_MDS_R_ABORTED, &req->r_req_flags);
 		mutex_unlock(&req->r_fill_mutex);
 
-		if (req->r_locked_dir &&
+		if (req->r_parent &&
 		    (req->r_op & CEPH_MDS_OP_WRITE))
 			ceph_invalidate_dir_request(req);
 	} else {
@@ -2355,7 +2355,7 @@ int ceph_mdsc_do_request(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc,
  */
 void ceph_invalidate_dir_request(struct ceph_mds_request *req)
 {
-	struct inode *inode = req->r_locked_dir;
+	struct inode *inode = req->r_parent;
 
 	dout("invalidate_dir_request %p (complete, lease(s))\n", inode);
 
diff --git a/fs/ceph/mds_client.h b/fs/ceph/mds_client.h
index 409b0e3c3b7a..ac0475a2daa7 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/mds_client.h
+++ b/fs/ceph/mds_client.h
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ struct ceph_mds_request {
 	char *r_path1, *r_path2;
 	struct ceph_vino r_ino1, r_ino2;
 
-	struct inode *r_locked_dir; /* dir (if any) i_mutex locked by vfs */
+	struct inode *r_parent;		    /* parent dir inode */
 	struct inode *r_target_inode;       /* resulting inode */
 
 #define CEPH_MDS_R_DIRECT_IS_HASH	(1) /* r_direct_hash is valid */
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ struct ceph_mds_request {
 #define CEPH_MDS_R_GOT_SAFE		(4) /* got a safe reply */
 #define CEPH_MDS_R_GOT_RESULT		(5) /* got a result */
 #define CEPH_MDS_R_DID_PREPOPULATE	(6) /* prepopulated readdir */
+#define CEPH_MDS_R_PARENT_LOCKED	(7) /* is r_parent->i_rwsem wlocked? */
 	unsigned long	r_req_flags;
 
 	struct mutex r_fill_mutex;
