diff --git a/fs/nfs/client.c b/fs/nfs/client.c
index 180d1ec9c32e..9973675737dd 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/client.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/client.c
@@ -272,13 +272,16 @@ void nfs_put_client(struct nfs_client *clp)
 	nn = net_generic(clp->cl_net, nfs_net_id);
 
 	if (atomic_dec_and_lock(&clp->cl_count, &nn->nfs_client_lock)) {
+		int manager_will_free =
+			test_bit(NFS_CS_MANAGER, &clp->cl_res_state);
 		list_del(&clp->cl_share_link);
 		nfs_cb_idr_remove_locked(clp);
-		spin_unlock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
-
+		if (manager_will_free)
+			nfs4_schedule_state_manager(clp);
 		WARN_ON_ONCE(!list_empty(&clp->cl_superblocks));
-
-		clp->rpc_ops->free_client(clp);
+		spin_unlock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
+		if (!manager_will_free)
+			clp->rpc_ops->free_client(clp);
 	}
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nfs_put_client);
diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs4_fs.h b/fs/nfs/nfs4_fs.h
index ba2affa51941..014e730ee7a2 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs4_fs.h
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs4_fs.h
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@ extern void nfs4_schedule_lease_recovery(struct nfs_client *);
 extern int nfs4_wait_clnt_recover(struct nfs_client *clp);
 extern int nfs4_client_recover_expired_lease(struct nfs_client *clp);
 extern void nfs4_schedule_state_manager(struct nfs_client *);
+extern int nfs4_start_state_manager(struct nfs_client *);
 extern void nfs4_schedule_path_down_recovery(struct nfs_client *clp);
 extern int nfs4_schedule_stateid_recovery(const struct nfs_server *, struct nfs4_state *);
 extern int nfs4_schedule_migration_recovery(const struct nfs_server *);
diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs4client.c b/fs/nfs/nfs4client.c
index aa9ef4876046..907111174886 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs4client.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs4client.c
@@ -401,6 +401,11 @@ struct nfs_client *nfs4_init_client(struct nfs_client *clp,
 	}
 	__set_bit(NFS_CS_IDMAP, &clp->cl_res_state);
 
+	error = nfs4_start_state_manager(clp);
+	if (error < 0)
+		goto error;
+	__set_bit(NFS_CS_MANAGER, &clp->cl_res_state);
+
 	error = nfs4_init_client_minor_version(clp);
 	if (error < 0)
 		goto error;
diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs4state.c b/fs/nfs/nfs4state.c
index 42f121182167..69d12decd04a 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs4state.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs4state.c
@@ -1150,15 +1150,12 @@ static void nfs4_clear_state_manager_bit(struct nfs_client *clp)
 /*
  * Schedule the nfs_client asynchronous state management routine
  */
-void nfs4_schedule_state_manager(struct nfs_client *clp)
+int nfs4_start_state_manager(struct nfs_client *clp)
 {
 	struct task_struct *task;
 	char buf[INET6_ADDRSTRLEN + sizeof("-manager") + 1];
 
-	if (test_and_set_bit(NFS4CLNT_MANAGER_RUNNING, &clp->cl_state) != 0)
-		return;
 	__module_get(THIS_MODULE);
-	atomic_inc(&clp->cl_count);
 
 	/* The rcu_read_lock() is not strictly necessary, as the state
 	 * manager is the only thread that ever changes the rpc_xprt
@@ -1171,10 +1168,18 @@ void nfs4_schedule_state_manager(struct nfs_client *clp)
 	if (IS_ERR(task)) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: kthread_run: %ld\n",
 			__func__, PTR_ERR(task));
-		nfs4_clear_state_manager_bit(clp);
-		nfs_put_client(clp);
 		module_put(THIS_MODULE);
+		return PTR_ERR(task);
 	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void nfs4_schedule_state_manager(struct nfs_client *clp)
+{
+	if (test_and_set_bit(NFS4CLNT_MANAGER_RUNNING, &clp->cl_state) != 0)
+		return;
+	smp_mb__after_atomic();
+	wake_up_bit(&clp->cl_state, NFS4CLNT_MANAGER_RUNNING);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -2328,8 +2333,12 @@ static void nfs4_state_manager(struct nfs_client *clp)
 	int status = 0;
 	const char *section = "", *section_sep = "";
 
-	/* Ensure exclusive access to NFSv4 state */
-	do {
+	while (atomic_read(&clp->cl_count) && clp->cl_state) {
+		/* If we found more work to do, we must ensure the
+		 * bit is set so other code can wait for it.
+		 */
+		set_bit(NFS4CLNT_MANAGER_RUNNING, &clp->cl_state);
+
 		if (test_bit(NFS4CLNT_PURGE_STATE, &clp->cl_state)) {
 			section = "purge state";
 			status = nfs4_purge_lease(clp);
@@ -2423,12 +2432,7 @@ static void nfs4_state_manager(struct nfs_client *clp)
 		}
 
 		nfs4_clear_state_manager_bit(clp);
-		/* Did we race with an attempt to give us more work? */
-		if (clp->cl_state == 0)
-			break;
-		if (test_and_set_bit(NFS4CLNT_MANAGER_RUNNING, &clp->cl_state) != 0)
-			break;
-	} while (atomic_read(&clp->cl_count) > 1);
+	}
 	return;
 out_error:
 	if (strlen(section))
@@ -2444,10 +2448,23 @@ out_error:
 static int nfs4_run_state_manager(void *ptr)
 {
 	struct nfs_client *clp = ptr;
+	struct nfs_net *nn;
 
 	allow_signal(SIGKILL);
-	nfs4_state_manager(clp);
-	nfs_put_client(clp);
+	while (atomic_read(&clp->cl_count)) {
+		if (signal_pending(current))
+			flush_signals(current);
+		wait_event_interruptible(
+			*bit_waitqueue(&clp->cl_state,
+				       NFS4CLNT_MANAGER_RUNNING),
+			test_bit(NFS4CLNT_MANAGER_RUNNING, &clp->cl_state));
+		nfs4_state_manager(clp);
+	}
+	nn = net_generic(clp->cl_net, nfs_net_id);
+	spin_lock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
+	/* nfs_put_client has definitely stopped using its reference */
+	spin_unlock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
+	clp->rpc_ops->free_client(clp);
 	module_put_and_exit(0);
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/nfs_fs_sb.h b/include/linux/nfs_fs_sb.h
index 1150ea41b626..40c7d1a53388 100644
--- a/include/linux/nfs_fs_sb.h
+++ b/include/linux/nfs_fs_sb.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ struct nfs_client {
 #define NFS_CS_RENEWD		3		/* - renewd started */
 #define NFS_CS_STOP_RENEW	4		/* no more state to renew */
 #define NFS_CS_CHECK_LEASE_TIME	5		/* need to check lease time */
+#define NFS_CS_MANAGER		6		/* NFSv4 manager thread running */
 	unsigned long		cl_flags;	/* behavior switches */
 #define NFS_CS_NORESVPORT	0		/* - use ephemeral src port */
 #define NFS_CS_DISCRTRY		1		/* - disconnect on RPC retry */
