diff --git a/fs/btrfs/backref.c b/fs/btrfs/backref.c
index 33cba1abf8b6..9b627b895806 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/backref.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/backref.c
@@ -769,6 +769,7 @@ static int add_delayed_refs(const struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 	struct btrfs_key key;
 	struct btrfs_key tmp_op_key;
 	struct btrfs_key *op_key = NULL;
+	struct rb_node *n;
 	int count;
 	int ret = 0;
 
@@ -778,7 +779,9 @@ static int add_delayed_refs(const struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 	}
 
 	spin_lock(&head->lock);
-	list_for_each_entry(node, &head->ref_list, list) {
+	for (n = rb_first(&head->ref_tree); n; n = rb_next(n)) {
+		node = rb_entry(n, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node,
+				ref_node);
 		if (node->seq > seq)
 			continue;
 
diff --git a/fs/btrfs/delayed-ref.c b/fs/btrfs/delayed-ref.c
index c4cfadb9768c..48a9b23774e6 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/delayed-ref.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/delayed-ref.c
@@ -143,6 +143,33 @@ static struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head *htree_insert(struct rb_root *root,
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *
+tree_insert(struct rb_root *root, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *ins)
+{
+	struct rb_node **p = &root->rb_node;
+	struct rb_node *node = &ins->ref_node;
+	struct rb_node *parent_node = NULL;
+	struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *entry;
+
+	while (*p) {
+		int comp;
+		parent_node = *p;
+		entry = rb_entry(parent_node, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node,
+				 ref_node);
+		comp = comp_refs(ins, entry, true);
+		if (comp < 0)
+			p = &(*p)->rb_left;
+		else if (comp > 0)
+			p = &(*p)->rb_right;
+		else
+			return entry;
+	}
+
+	rb_link_node(node, parent_node, p);
+	rb_insert_color(node, root);
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 /*
  * find an head entry based on bytenr. This returns the delayed ref
  * head if it was able to find one, or NULL if nothing was in that spot.
@@ -212,7 +239,8 @@ static inline void drop_delayed_ref(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 				    struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *ref)
 {
 	assert_spin_locked(&head->lock);
-	list_del(&ref->list);
+	rb_erase(&ref->ref_node, &head->ref_tree);
+	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&ref->ref_node);
 	if (!list_empty(&ref->add_list))
 		list_del(&ref->add_list);
 	ref->in_tree = 0;
@@ -229,24 +257,18 @@ static bool merge_ref(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 		      u64 seq)
 {
 	struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *next;
+	struct rb_node *node = rb_next(&ref->ref_node);
 	bool done = false;
 
-	next = list_first_entry(&head->ref_list, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node,
-				list);
-	while (!done && &next->list != &head->ref_list) {
+	while (!done && node) {
 		int mod;
-		struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *next2;
-
-		next2 = list_next_entry(next, list);
-
-		if (next == ref)
-			goto next;
 
+		next = rb_entry(node, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node, ref_node);
+		node = rb_next(node);
 		if (seq && next->seq >= seq)
-			goto next;
-
+			break;
 		if (comp_refs(ref, next, false))
-			goto next;
+			break;
 
 		if (ref->action == next->action) {
 			mod = next->ref_mod;
@@ -270,8 +292,6 @@ static bool merge_ref(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 			WARN_ON(ref->type == BTRFS_TREE_BLOCK_REF_KEY ||
 				ref->type == BTRFS_SHARED_BLOCK_REF_KEY);
 		}
-next:
-		next = next2;
 	}
 
 	return done;
@@ -283,11 +303,12 @@ void btrfs_merge_delayed_refs(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 			      struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head *head)
 {
 	struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *ref;
+	struct rb_node *node;
 	u64 seq = 0;
 
 	assert_spin_locked(&head->lock);
 
-	if (list_empty(&head->ref_list))
+	if (RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&head->ref_tree))
 		return;
 
 	/* We don't have too many refs to merge for data. */
@@ -304,22 +325,13 @@ void btrfs_merge_delayed_refs(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 	}
 	spin_unlock(&fs_info->tree_mod_seq_lock);
 
-	ref = list_first_entry(&head->ref_list, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node,
-			       list);
-	while (&ref->list != &head->ref_list) {
+again:
+	for (node = rb_first(&head->ref_tree); node; node = rb_next(node)) {
+		ref = rb_entry(node, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node, ref_node);
 		if (seq && ref->seq >= seq)
-			goto next;
-
-		if (merge_ref(trans, delayed_refs, head, ref, seq)) {
-			if (list_empty(&head->ref_list))
-				break;
-			ref = list_first_entry(&head->ref_list,
-					       struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node,
-					       list);
 			continue;
-		}
-next:
-		ref = list_next_entry(ref, list);
+		if (merge_ref(trans, delayed_refs, head, ref, seq))
+			goto again;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -402,25 +414,19 @@ btrfs_select_ref_head(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans)
  * Return 0 for insert.
  * Return >0 for merge.
  */
-static int
-add_delayed_ref_tail_merge(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
-			   struct btrfs_delayed_ref_root *root,
-			   struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head *href,
-			   struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *ref)
+static int insert_delayed_ref(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
+			      struct btrfs_delayed_ref_root *root,
+			      struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head *href,
+			      struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *ref)
 {
 	struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *exist;
 	int mod;
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	spin_lock(&href->lock);
-	/* Check whether we can merge the tail node with ref */
-	if (list_empty(&href->ref_list))
-		goto add_tail;
-	exist = list_entry(href->ref_list.prev, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node,
-			   list);
-	/* No need to compare bytenr nor is_head */
-	if (comp_refs(exist, ref, true))
-		goto add_tail;
+	exist = tree_insert(&href->ref_tree, ref);
+	if (!exist)
+		goto inserted;
 
 	/* Now we are sure we can merge */
 	ret = 1;
@@ -451,9 +457,7 @@ add_delayed_ref_tail_merge(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 		drop_delayed_ref(trans, root, href, exist);
 	spin_unlock(&href->lock);
 	return ret;
-
-add_tail:
-	list_add_tail(&ref->list, &href->ref_list);
+inserted:
 	if (ref->action == BTRFS_ADD_DELAYED_REF)
 		list_add_tail(&ref->add_list, &href->ref_add_list);
 	atomic_inc(&root->num_entries);
@@ -593,7 +597,7 @@ add_delayed_ref_head(struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 	head_ref->ref_mod = count_mod;
 	head_ref->must_insert_reserved = must_insert_reserved;
 	head_ref->is_data = is_data;
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&head_ref->ref_list);
+	head_ref->ref_tree = RB_ROOT;
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&head_ref->ref_add_list);
 	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&head_ref->href_node);
 	head_ref->processing = 0;
@@ -685,7 +689,7 @@ add_delayed_tree_ref(struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 	ref->is_head = 0;
 	ref->in_tree = 1;
 	ref->seq = seq;
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&ref->list);
+	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&ref->ref_node);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&ref->add_list);
 
 	full_ref = btrfs_delayed_node_to_tree_ref(ref);
@@ -699,7 +703,7 @@ add_delayed_tree_ref(struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 
 	trace_add_delayed_tree_ref(fs_info, ref, full_ref, action);
 
-	ret = add_delayed_ref_tail_merge(trans, delayed_refs, head_ref, ref);
+	ret = insert_delayed_ref(trans, delayed_refs, head_ref, ref);
 
 	/*
 	 * XXX: memory should be freed at the same level allocated.
@@ -742,7 +746,7 @@ add_delayed_data_ref(struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 	ref->is_head = 0;
 	ref->in_tree = 1;
 	ref->seq = seq;
-	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&ref->list);
+	RB_CLEAR_NODE(&ref->ref_node);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&ref->add_list);
 
 	full_ref = btrfs_delayed_node_to_data_ref(ref);
@@ -758,8 +762,7 @@ add_delayed_data_ref(struct btrfs_fs_info *fs_info,
 
 	trace_add_delayed_data_ref(fs_info, ref, full_ref, action);
 
-	ret = add_delayed_ref_tail_merge(trans, delayed_refs, head_ref, ref);
-
+	ret = insert_delayed_ref(trans, delayed_refs, head_ref, ref);
 	if (ret > 0)
 		kmem_cache_free(btrfs_delayed_data_ref_cachep, full_ref);
 }
diff --git a/fs/btrfs/delayed-ref.h b/fs/btrfs/delayed-ref.h
index 1ce11858d727..a43af432f859 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/delayed-ref.h
+++ b/fs/btrfs/delayed-ref.h
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@
 #define BTRFS_UPDATE_DELAYED_HEAD 4 /* not changing ref count on head ref */
 
 struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node {
-	/*data/tree ref use list, stored in ref_head->ref_list. */
-	struct list_head list;
+	struct rb_node ref_node;
 	/*
 	 * If action is BTRFS_ADD_DELAYED_REF, also link this node to
 	 * ref_head->ref_add_list, then we do not need to iterate the
@@ -92,7 +91,7 @@ struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head {
 	struct mutex mutex;
 
 	spinlock_t lock;
-	struct list_head ref_list;
+	struct rb_root ref_tree;
 	/* accumulate add BTRFS_ADD_DELAYED_REF nodes to this ref_add_list. */
 	struct list_head ref_add_list;
 
diff --git a/fs/btrfs/disk-io.c b/fs/btrfs/disk-io.c
index d1f396f72979..efce9a2fa9be 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/disk-io.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/disk-io.c
@@ -4113,7 +4113,7 @@ static int btrfs_destroy_delayed_refs(struct btrfs_transaction *trans,
 
 	while ((node = rb_first(&delayed_refs->href_root)) != NULL) {
 		struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head *head;
-		struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *tmp;
+		struct rb_node *n;
 		bool pin_bytes = false;
 
 		head = rb_entry(node, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head,
@@ -4129,10 +4129,12 @@ static int btrfs_destroy_delayed_refs(struct btrfs_transaction *trans,
 			continue;
 		}
 		spin_lock(&head->lock);
-		list_for_each_entry_safe_reverse(ref, tmp, &head->ref_list,
-						 list) {
+		while ((n = rb_first(&head->ref_tree)) != NULL) {
+			ref = rb_entry(n, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node,
+				       ref_node);
 			ref->in_tree = 0;
-			list_del(&ref->list);
+			rb_erase(&ref->ref_node, &head->ref_tree);
+			RB_CLEAR_NODE(&ref->ref_node);
 			if (!list_empty(&ref->add_list))
 				list_del(&ref->add_list);
 			atomic_dec(&delayed_refs->num_entries);
diff --git a/fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c b/fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c
index fc9720e28005..673ac4e01dd0 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c
@@ -2519,7 +2519,7 @@ select_delayed_ref(struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head *head)
 {
 	struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node *ref;
 
-	if (list_empty(&head->ref_list))
+	if (RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&head->ref_tree))
 		return NULL;
 
 	/*
@@ -2532,8 +2532,8 @@ select_delayed_ref(struct btrfs_delayed_ref_head *head)
 		return list_first_entry(&head->ref_add_list,
 				struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node, add_list);
 
-	ref = list_first_entry(&head->ref_list, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node,
-			       list);
+	ref = rb_entry(rb_first(&head->ref_tree),
+		       struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node, ref_node);
 	ASSERT(list_empty(&ref->add_list));
 	return ref;
 }
@@ -2593,7 +2593,7 @@ static int cleanup_ref_head(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 	spin_unlock(&head->lock);
 	spin_lock(&delayed_refs->lock);
 	spin_lock(&head->lock);
-	if (!list_empty(&head->ref_list) || head->extent_op) {
+	if (!RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&head->ref_tree) || head->extent_op) {
 		spin_unlock(&head->lock);
 		spin_unlock(&delayed_refs->lock);
 		return 1;
@@ -2740,7 +2740,8 @@ static noinline int __btrfs_run_delayed_refs(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 
 		actual_count++;
 		ref->in_tree = 0;
-		list_del(&ref->list);
+		rb_erase(&ref->ref_node, &locked_ref->ref_tree);
+		RB_CLEAR_NODE(&ref->ref_node);
 		if (!list_empty(&ref->add_list))
 			list_del(&ref->add_list);
 		/*
@@ -3138,6 +3139,7 @@ static noinline int check_delayed_ref(struct btrfs_root *root,
 	struct btrfs_delayed_data_ref *data_ref;
 	struct btrfs_delayed_ref_root *delayed_refs;
 	struct btrfs_transaction *cur_trans;
+	struct rb_node *node;
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	cur_trans = root->fs_info->running_transaction;
@@ -3170,7 +3172,12 @@ static noinline int check_delayed_ref(struct btrfs_root *root,
 	spin_unlock(&delayed_refs->lock);
 
 	spin_lock(&head->lock);
-	list_for_each_entry(ref, &head->ref_list, list) {
+	/*
+	 * XXX: We should replace this with a proper search function in the
+	 * future.
+	 */
+	for (node = rb_first(&head->ref_tree); node; node = rb_next(node)) {
+		ref = rb_entry(node, struct btrfs_delayed_ref_node, ref_node);
 		/* If it's a shared ref we know a cross reference exists */
 		if (ref->type != BTRFS_EXTENT_DATA_REF_KEY) {
 			ret = 1;
@@ -7141,7 +7148,7 @@ static noinline int check_ref_cleanup(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans,
 		goto out_delayed_unlock;
 
 	spin_lock(&head->lock);
-	if (!list_empty(&head->ref_list))
+	if (!RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&head->ref_tree))
 		goto out;
 
 	if (head->extent_op) {
