diff --git a/fs/ext4/mballoc.c b/fs/ext4/mballoc.c
index 24fc3ab..8f33691 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/mballoc.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/mballoc.c
@@ -1055,7 +1055,8 @@ __releases(e4b->alloc_semp)
 	if (e4b->bd_buddy_page)
 		page_cache_release(e4b->bd_buddy_page);
 	/* Done with the buddy cache */
-	up_read(e4b->alloc_semp);
+	if (e4b->alloc_semp)
+		up_read(e4b->alloc_semp);
 	__release(e4b->alloc_semp);
 }
 
@@ -1375,7 +1376,9 @@ static void ext4_mb_use_best_found(struct ext4_allocation_context *ac,
 	get_page(ac->ac_bitmap_page);
 	ac->ac_buddy_page = e4b->bd_buddy_page;
 	get_page(ac->ac_buddy_page);
-
+	/* on allocation we use ac to track the held semaphore */
+	ac->alloc_semp =  e4b->alloc_semp;
+	e4b->alloc_semp = NULL;
 	/* store last allocated for subsequent stream allocation */
 	if ((ac->ac_flags & EXT4_MB_HINT_DATA)) {
 		spin_lock(&sbi->s_md_lock);
@@ -4297,6 +4300,7 @@ ext4_mb_initialize_context(struct ext4_allocation_context *ac,
 	ac->ac_pa = NULL;
 	ac->ac_bitmap_page = NULL;
 	ac->ac_buddy_page = NULL;
+	ac->alloc_semp = NULL;
 	ac->ac_lg = NULL;
 
 	/* we have to define context: we'll we work with a file or
@@ -4478,6 +4482,8 @@ static int ext4_mb_release_context(struct ext4_allocation_context *ac)
 		}
 		ext4_mb_put_pa(ac, ac->ac_sb, pa);
 	}
+	if (ac->alloc_semp)
+		up_read(ac->alloc_semp);
 	if (ac->ac_bitmap_page)
 		page_cache_release(ac->ac_bitmap_page);
 	if (ac->ac_buddy_page)
diff --git a/fs/ext4/mballoc.h b/fs/ext4/mballoc.h
index 95d4c7f..3b598c7 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/mballoc.h
+++ b/fs/ext4/mballoc.h
@@ -195,6 +195,11 @@ struct ext4_allocation_context {
 	__u8 ac_op;		/* operation, for history only */
 	struct page *ac_bitmap_page;
 	struct page *ac_buddy_page;
+	/*
+	 * pointer to the held semaphore upon successfull
+	 * block allocation
+	 */
+	struct rw_semaphore *alloc_semp;
 	struct ext4_prealloc_space *ac_pa;
 	struct ext4_locality_group *ac_lg;
 };