nlm_traverse_files(struct nlm_host *host, int action)
 {
        struct nlm_file *file, **fp;
-       int             i;
+       int i, ret = 0;
 
        mutex_lock(&nlm_file_mutex);
        for (i = 0; i < FILE_NRHASH; i++) {
                fp = nlm_files + i;
                while ((file = *fp) != NULL) {
+                       file->f_count++;
+                       mutex_unlock(&nlm_file_mutex);
+
                        /* Traverse locks, blocks and shares of this file
                         * and update file->f_locks count */
-                       if (nlm_inspect_file(host, file, action)) {
-                               mutex_unlock(&nlm_file_mutex);
-                               return 1;
-                       }
+                       if (nlm_inspect_file(host, file, action))
+                               ret = 1;
 
+                       mutex_lock(&nlm_file_mutex);
+                       file->f_count--;
                        /* No more references to this file. Let go of it. */
                        if (!file->f_blocks && !file->f_locks
                         && !file->f_shares && !file->f_count) {
                }
        }
        mutex_unlock(&nlm_file_mutex);
-       return 0;
+       return ret;
 }
 
 /*