diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_trans_space.h b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_trans_space.h
index f72207923ec2..25a55650baf4 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_trans_space.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_trans_space.h
@@ -95,8 +95,6 @@
 	XFS_DIRREMOVE_SPACE_RES(mp)
 #define	XFS_RENAME_SPACE_RES(mp,nl)	\
 	(XFS_DIRREMOVE_SPACE_RES(mp) + XFS_DIRENTER_SPACE_RES(mp,nl))
-#define	XFS_SYMLINK_SPACE_RES(mp,nl,b)	\
-	(XFS_IALLOC_SPACE_RES(mp) + XFS_DIRENTER_SPACE_RES(mp,nl) + (b))
 #define XFS_IFREE_SPACE_RES(mp)		\
 	(xfs_has_finobt(mp) ? M_IGEO(mp)->inobt_maxlevels : 0)
 
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_symlink.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_symlink.c
index 4d5f38936a20..7872397b8b5c 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_symlink.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_symlink.c
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #include "xfs_trans.h"
 #include "xfs_ialloc.h"
 #include "xfs_error.h"
+#include "xfs_parent.h"
+#include "xfs_defer.h"
 
 /* ----- Kernel only functions below ----- */
 int
@@ -142,6 +144,23 @@ xfs_readlink(
 	return error;
 }
 
+static unsigned int
+xfs_symlink_space_res(
+	struct xfs_mount	*mp,
+	unsigned int		namelen,
+	unsigned int		fsblocks)
+{
+	unsigned int		ret;
+
+	ret = XFS_IALLOC_SPACE_RES(mp) + XFS_DIRENTER_SPACE_RES(mp, namelen) +
+			fsblocks;
+
+	if (xfs_has_parent(mp))
+		ret += xfs_pptr_calc_space_res(mp, namelen);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 int
 xfs_symlink(
 	struct mnt_idmap	*idmap,
@@ -172,6 +191,8 @@ xfs_symlink(
 	struct xfs_dquot	*pdqp = NULL;
 	uint			resblks;
 	xfs_ino_t		ino;
+	xfs_dir2_dataptr_t      diroffset;
+	struct xfs_parent_defer *parent;
 
 	*ipp = NULL;
 
@@ -202,18 +223,24 @@ xfs_symlink(
 
 	/*
 	 * The symlink will fit into the inode data fork?
-	 * There can't be any attributes so we get the whole variable part.
+	 * If there are no parent pointers, then there wont't be any attributes.
+	 * So we get the whole variable part, and do not need to reserve extra
+	 * blocks.  Otherwise, we need to reserve the blocks.
 	 */
-	if (pathlen <= XFS_LITINO(mp))
+	if (pathlen <= XFS_LITINO(mp) && !xfs_has_parent(mp))
 		fs_blocks = 0;
 	else
 		fs_blocks = xfs_symlink_blocks(mp, pathlen);
-	resblks = XFS_SYMLINK_SPACE_RES(mp, link_name->len, fs_blocks);
+	resblks = xfs_symlink_space_res(mp, link_name->len, fs_blocks);
+
+	error = xfs_parent_start(mp, &parent);
+	if (error)
+		goto out_release_dquots;
 
 	error = xfs_trans_alloc_icreate(mp, &M_RES(mp)->tr_symlink, udqp, gdqp,
 			pdqp, resblks, &tp);
 	if (error)
-		goto out_release_dquots;
+		goto out_parent;
 
 	xfs_ilock(dp, XFS_ILOCK_EXCL | XFS_ILOCK_PARENT);
 	unlock_dp_on_error = true;
@@ -233,7 +260,7 @@ xfs_symlink(
 	if (!error)
 		error = xfs_init_new_inode(idmap, tp, dp, ino,
 				S_IFLNK | (mode & ~S_IFMT), 1, 0, prid,
-				false, &ip);
+				xfs_has_parent(mp), &ip);
 	if (error)
 		goto out_trans_cancel;
 
@@ -244,8 +271,7 @@ xfs_symlink(
 	 * the transaction cancel unlocking dp so don't do it explicitly in the
 	 * error path.
 	 */
-	xfs_trans_ijoin(tp, dp, XFS_ILOCK_EXCL);
-	unlock_dp_on_error = false;
+	xfs_trans_ijoin(tp, dp, 0);
 
 	/*
 	 * Also attach the dquot(s) to it, if applicable.
@@ -315,12 +341,20 @@ xfs_symlink(
 	 * Create the directory entry for the symlink.
 	 */
 	error = xfs_dir_createname(tp, dp, link_name,
-			ip->i_ino, resblks, NULL);
+			ip->i_ino, resblks, &diroffset);
 	if (error)
 		goto out_trans_cancel;
 	xfs_trans_ichgtime(tp, dp, XFS_ICHGTIME_MOD | XFS_ICHGTIME_CHG);
 	xfs_trans_log_inode(tp, dp, XFS_ILOG_CORE);
 
+	if (parent) {
+		error = xfs_parent_defer_add(tp, parent, dp, link_name,
+					     diroffset, ip);
+		if (error)
+			goto out_trans_cancel;
+	}
+
+
 	/*
 	 * If this is a synchronous mount, make sure that the
 	 * symlink transaction goes to disk before returning to
@@ -339,6 +373,8 @@ xfs_symlink(
 
 	*ipp = ip;
 	xfs_iunlock(ip, XFS_ILOCK_EXCL);
+	xfs_iunlock(dp, XFS_ILOCK_EXCL);
+	xfs_parent_finish(mp, parent);
 	return 0;
 
 out_trans_cancel:
@@ -350,9 +386,12 @@ xfs_symlink(
 	 * transactions and deadlocks from xfs_inactive.
 	 */
 	if (ip) {
+		xfs_iunlock(ip, XFS_ILOCK_EXCL);
 		xfs_finish_inode_setup(ip);
 		xfs_irele(ip);
 	}
+out_parent:
+	xfs_parent_finish(mp, parent);
 out_release_dquots:
 	xfs_qm_dqrele(udqp);
 	xfs_qm_dqrele(gdqp);
@@ -360,8 +399,7 @@ xfs_symlink(
 
 	if (unlock_dp_on_error)
 		xfs_iunlock(dp, XFS_ILOCK_EXCL);
-	if (ip)
-		xfs_iunlock(ip, XFS_ILOCK_EXCL);
+
 	return error;
 }
 
