diff --git a/fs/cifs/dfs_cache.c b/fs/cifs/dfs_cache.c
index 19847f9114ba..58d11be9d020 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/dfs_cache.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/dfs_cache.c
@@ -776,7 +776,8 @@ static int get_dfs_referral(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_ses *ses, const
  */
 static struct cache_entry *cache_refresh_path(const unsigned int xid,
 					      struct cifs_ses *ses,
-					      const char *path)
+					      const char *path,
+					      bool force_refresh)
 {
 	struct dfs_info3_param *refs = NULL;
 	struct cache_entry *ce;
@@ -788,7 +789,7 @@ static struct cache_entry *cache_refresh_path(const unsigned int xid,
 	down_read(&htable_rw_lock);
 
 	ce = lookup_cache_entry(path);
-	if (!IS_ERR(ce) && !cache_entry_expired(ce))
+	if (!IS_ERR(ce) && !force_refresh && !cache_entry_expired(ce))
 		return ce;
 
 	/*
@@ -800,7 +801,8 @@ static struct cache_entry *cache_refresh_path(const unsigned int xid,
 	up_read(&htable_rw_lock);
 
 	/*
-	 * Either the entry was not found, or it is expired.
+	 * Either the entry was not found, or it is expired, or it is a forced
+	 * refresh.
 	 * Request a new DFS referral in order to create or update a cache entry.
 	 */
 	rc = get_dfs_referral(xid, ses, path, &refs, &numrefs);
@@ -815,7 +817,7 @@ static struct cache_entry *cache_refresh_path(const unsigned int xid,
 	/* Re-check as another task might have it added or refreshed already */
 	ce = lookup_cache_entry(path);
 	if (!IS_ERR(ce)) {
-		if (cache_entry_expired(ce)) {
+		if (force_refresh || cache_entry_expired(ce)) {
 			rc = update_cache_entry_locked(ce, refs, numrefs);
 			if (rc)
 				ce = ERR_PTR(rc);
@@ -952,7 +954,7 @@ int dfs_cache_find(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_ses *ses, const struct nl
 	if (IS_ERR(npath))
 		return PTR_ERR(npath);
 
-	ce = cache_refresh_path(xid, ses, npath);
+	ce = cache_refresh_path(xid, ses, npath, false);
 	if (IS_ERR(ce)) {
 		rc = PTR_ERR(ce);
 		goto out_free_path;
@@ -1049,7 +1051,7 @@ int dfs_cache_update_tgthint(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_ses *ses,
 
 	cifs_dbg(FYI, "%s: update target hint - path: %s\n", __func__, npath);
 
-	ce = cache_refresh_path(xid, ses, npath);
+	ce = cache_refresh_path(xid, ses, npath, false);
 	if (IS_ERR(ce)) {
 		rc = PTR_ERR(ce);
 		goto out_free_path;
@@ -1327,35 +1329,37 @@ static bool target_share_equal(struct TCP_Server_Info *server, const char *s1, c
  * Mark dfs tcon for reconnecting when the currently connected tcon does not match any of the new
  * target shares in @refs.
  */
-static void mark_for_reconnect_if_needed(struct cifs_tcon *tcon, struct dfs_cache_tgt_list *tl,
-					 const struct dfs_info3_param *refs, int numrefs)
+static void mark_for_reconnect_if_needed(struct TCP_Server_Info *server,
+					 struct dfs_cache_tgt_list *old_tl,
+					 struct dfs_cache_tgt_list *new_tl)
 {
-	struct dfs_cache_tgt_iterator *it;
-	int i;
+	struct dfs_cache_tgt_iterator *oit, *nit;
 
-	for (it = dfs_cache_get_tgt_iterator(tl); it; it = dfs_cache_get_next_tgt(tl, it)) {
-		for (i = 0; i < numrefs; i++) {
-			if (target_share_equal(tcon->ses->server, dfs_cache_get_tgt_name(it),
-					       refs[i].node_name))
+	for (oit = dfs_cache_get_tgt_iterator(old_tl); oit;
+	     oit = dfs_cache_get_next_tgt(old_tl, oit)) {
+		for (nit = dfs_cache_get_tgt_iterator(new_tl); nit;
+		     nit = dfs_cache_get_next_tgt(new_tl, nit)) {
+			if (target_share_equal(server,
+					       dfs_cache_get_tgt_name(oit),
+					       dfs_cache_get_tgt_name(nit)))
 				return;
 		}
 	}
 
 	cifs_dbg(FYI, "%s: no cached or matched targets. mark dfs share for reconnect.\n", __func__);
-	cifs_signal_cifsd_for_reconnect(tcon->ses->server, true);
+	cifs_signal_cifsd_for_reconnect(server, true);
 }
 
 /* Refresh dfs referral of tcon and mark it for reconnect if needed */
 static int __refresh_tcon(const char *path, struct cifs_tcon *tcon, bool force_refresh)
 {
-	struct dfs_cache_tgt_list tl = DFS_CACHE_TGT_LIST_INIT(tl);
+	struct dfs_cache_tgt_list old_tl = DFS_CACHE_TGT_LIST_INIT(old_tl);
+	struct dfs_cache_tgt_list new_tl = DFS_CACHE_TGT_LIST_INIT(new_tl);
 	struct cifs_ses *ses = CIFS_DFS_ROOT_SES(tcon->ses);
 	struct cifs_tcon *ipc = ses->tcon_ipc;
-	struct dfs_info3_param *refs = NULL;
 	bool needs_refresh = false;
 	struct cache_entry *ce;
 	unsigned int xid;
-	int numrefs = 0;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	xid = get_xid();
@@ -1364,9 +1368,8 @@ static int __refresh_tcon(const char *path, struct cifs_tcon *tcon, bool force_r
 	ce = lookup_cache_entry(path);
 	needs_refresh = force_refresh || IS_ERR(ce) || cache_entry_expired(ce);
 	if (!IS_ERR(ce)) {
-		rc = get_targets(ce, &tl);
-		if (rc)
-			cifs_dbg(FYI, "%s: could not get dfs targets: %d\n", __func__, rc);
+		rc = get_targets(ce, &old_tl);
+		cifs_dbg(FYI, "%s: get_targets: %d\n", __func__, rc);
 	}
 	up_read(&htable_rw_lock);
 
@@ -1383,26 +1386,18 @@ static int __refresh_tcon(const char *path, struct cifs_tcon *tcon, bool force_r
 	}
 	spin_unlock(&ipc->tc_lock);
 
-	rc = get_dfs_referral(xid, ses, path, &refs, &numrefs);
-	if (!rc) {
-		/* Create or update a cache entry with the new referral */
-		dump_refs(refs, numrefs);
-
-		down_write(&htable_rw_lock);
-		ce = lookup_cache_entry(path);
-		if (IS_ERR(ce))
-			add_cache_entry_locked(refs, numrefs);
-		else if (force_refresh || cache_entry_expired(ce))
-			update_cache_entry_locked(ce, refs, numrefs);
-		up_write(&htable_rw_lock);
-
-		mark_for_reconnect_if_needed(tcon, &tl, refs, numrefs);
+	ce = cache_refresh_path(xid, ses, path, true);
+	if (!IS_ERR(ce)) {
+		rc = get_targets(ce, &new_tl);
+		up_read(&htable_rw_lock);
+		cifs_dbg(FYI, "%s: get_targets: %d\n", __func__, rc);
+		mark_for_reconnect_if_needed(tcon->ses->server, &old_tl, &new_tl);
 	}
 
 out:
 	free_xid(xid);
-	dfs_cache_free_tgts(&tl);
-	free_dfs_info_array(refs, numrefs);
+	dfs_cache_free_tgts(&old_tl);
+	dfs_cache_free_tgts(&new_tl);
 	return rc;
 }
 
