struct ecryptfs_inode_info {
        struct inode vfs_inode;
        struct inode *wii_inode;
+       struct mutex lower_file_mutex;
+       atomic_t lower_file_count;
        struct file *lower_file;
        struct ecryptfs_crypt_stat crypt_stat;
 };
                             struct dentry *lower_dentry,
                             struct vfsmount *lower_mnt,
                             const struct cred *cred);
-int ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(struct dentry *ecryptfs_dentry);
+int ecryptfs_get_lower_file(struct dentry *ecryptfs_dentry);
+void ecryptfs_put_lower_file(struct inode *inode);
 int
 ecryptfs_write_tag_70_packet(char *dest, size_t *remaining_bytes,
                             size_t *packet_size,
 
                                      | ECRYPTFS_ENCRYPTED);
        }
        mutex_unlock(&crypt_stat->cs_mutex);
-       rc = ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(ecryptfs_dentry);
+       rc = ecryptfs_get_lower_file(ecryptfs_dentry);
        if (rc) {
                printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Error attempting to initialize "
-                       "the persistent file for the dentry with name "
+                       "the lower file for the dentry with name "
                        "[%s]; rc = [%d]\n", __func__,
                        ecryptfs_dentry->d_name.name, rc);
                goto out_free;
        if ((ecryptfs_inode_to_private(inode)->lower_file->f_flags & O_ACCMODE)
            == O_RDONLY && (file->f_flags & O_ACCMODE) != O_RDONLY) {
                rc = -EPERM;
-               printk(KERN_WARNING "%s: Lower persistent file is RO; eCryptfs "
+               printk(KERN_WARNING "%s: Lower file is RO; eCryptfs "
                       "file must hence be opened RO\n", __func__);
-               goto out_free;
+               goto out_put;
        }
        ecryptfs_set_file_lower(
                file, ecryptfs_inode_to_private(inode)->lower_file);
                                       "Plaintext passthrough mode is not "
                                       "enabled; returning -EIO\n");
                                mutex_unlock(&crypt_stat->cs_mutex);
-                               goto out_free;
+                               goto out_put;
                        }
                        rc = 0;
                        crypt_stat->flags &= ~(ECRYPTFS_ENCRYPTED);
                        "[0x%.16lx] size: [0x%.16llx]\n", inode, inode->i_ino,
                        (unsigned long long)i_size_read(inode));
        goto out;
+out_put:
+       ecryptfs_put_lower_file(inode);
 out_free:
        kmem_cache_free(ecryptfs_file_info_cache,
                        ecryptfs_file_to_private(file));
 
 static int ecryptfs_flush(struct file *file, fl_owner_t td)
 {
-       int rc = 0;
-       struct file *lower_file = NULL;
-
-       lower_file = ecryptfs_file_to_lower(file);
-       if (lower_file->f_op && lower_file->f_op->flush)
-               rc = lower_file->f_op->flush(lower_file, td);
-       return rc;
+       return file->f_mode & FMODE_WRITE
+              ? filemap_write_and_wait(file->f_mapping) : 0;
 }
 
 static int ecryptfs_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 {
+       ecryptfs_put_lower_file(inode);
        kmem_cache_free(ecryptfs_file_info_cache,
                        ecryptfs_file_to_private(file));
        return 0;
 
                                "context; rc = [%d]\n", rc);
                goto out;
        }
-       rc = ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(ecryptfs_dentry);
+       rc = ecryptfs_get_lower_file(ecryptfs_dentry);
        if (rc) {
                printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Error attempting to initialize "
-                       "the persistent file for the dentry with name "
+                       "the lower file for the dentry with name "
                        "[%s]; rc = [%d]\n", __func__,
                        ecryptfs_dentry->d_name.name, rc);
                goto out;
        }
        rc = ecryptfs_write_metadata(ecryptfs_dentry);
-       if (rc) {
+       if (rc)
                printk(KERN_ERR "Error writing headers; rc = [%d]\n", rc);
-               goto out;
-       }
+       ecryptfs_put_lower_file(ecryptfs_dentry->d_inode);
 out:
        return rc;
 }
        struct ecryptfs_crypt_stat *crypt_stat;
        char *page_virt = NULL;
        u64 file_size;
-       int rc = 0;
+       int put_lower = 0, rc = 0;
 
        lower_dir_dentry = lower_dentry->d_parent;
        lower_mnt = mntget(ecryptfs_dentry_to_lower_mnt(
                rc = -ENOMEM;
                goto out;
        }
-       rc = ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(ecryptfs_dentry);
+       rc = ecryptfs_get_lower_file(ecryptfs_dentry);
        if (rc) {
                printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Error attempting to initialize "
-                       "the persistent file for the dentry with name "
+                       "the lower file for the dentry with name "
                        "[%s]; rc = [%d]\n", __func__,
                        ecryptfs_dentry->d_name.name, rc);
                goto out_free_kmem;
        }
+       put_lower = 1;
        crypt_stat = &ecryptfs_inode_to_private(
                                        ecryptfs_dentry->d_inode)->crypt_stat;
        /* TODO: lock for crypt_stat comparison */
        mntput(lower_mnt);
        d_drop(ecryptfs_dentry);
 out:
+       if (put_lower)
+               ecryptfs_put_lower_file(ecryptfs_dentry->d_inode);
        return rc;
 }
 
 
        if (unlikely((ia->ia_size == i_size))) {
                lower_ia->ia_valid &= ~ATTR_SIZE;
-               goto out;
+               return 0;
        }
+       rc = ecryptfs_get_lower_file(dentry);
+       if (rc)
+               return rc;
        crypt_stat = &ecryptfs_inode_to_private(dentry->d_inode)->crypt_stat;
        /* Switch on growing or shrinking file */
        if (ia->ia_size > i_size) {
                        lower_ia->ia_valid &= ~ATTR_SIZE;
        }
 out:
+       ecryptfs_put_lower_file(inode);
        return rc;
 }
 
 
                mount_crypt_stat = &ecryptfs_superblock_to_private(
                        dentry->d_sb)->mount_crypt_stat;
+               rc = ecryptfs_get_lower_file(dentry);
+               if (rc) {
+                       mutex_unlock(&crypt_stat->cs_mutex);
+                       goto out;
+               }
                rc = ecryptfs_read_metadata(dentry);
+               ecryptfs_put_lower_file(inode);
                if (rc) {
                        if (!(mount_crypt_stat->flags
                              & ECRYPTFS_PLAINTEXT_PASSTHROUGH_ENABLED)) {
 
  * @ignored: ignored
  *
  * The eCryptfs kernel thread that has the responsibility of getting
- * the lower persistent file with RW permissions.
+ * the lower file with RW permissions.
  *
  * Returns zero on success; non-zero otherwise
  */
        int rc = 0;
 
        /* Corresponding dput() and mntput() are done when the
-        * persistent file is fput() when the eCryptfs inode is
-        * destroyed. */
+        * lower file is fput() when all eCryptfs files for the inode are
+        * released. */
        dget(lower_dentry);
        mntget(lower_mnt);
        flags |= IS_RDONLY(lower_dentry->d_inode) ? O_RDONLY : O_RDWR;
 
 }
 
 /**
- * ecryptfs_init_persistent_file
+ * ecryptfs_init_lower_file
  * @ecryptfs_dentry: Fully initialized eCryptfs dentry object, with
  *                   the lower dentry and the lower mount set
  *
  * inode. All I/O operations to the lower inode occur through that
  * file. When the first eCryptfs dentry that interposes with the first
  * lower dentry for that inode is created, this function creates the
- * persistent file struct and associates it with the eCryptfs
- * inode. When the eCryptfs inode is destroyed, the file is closed.
+ * lower file struct and associates it with the eCryptfs
+ * inode. When all eCryptfs files associated with the inode are released, the
+ * file is closed.
  *
- * The persistent file will be opened with read/write permissions, if
+ * The lower file will be opened with read/write permissions, if
  * possible. Otherwise, it is opened read-only.
  *
- * This function does nothing if a lower persistent file is already
+ * This function does nothing if a lower file is already
  * associated with the eCryptfs inode.
  *
  * Returns zero on success; non-zero otherwise
  */
-int ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(struct dentry *ecryptfs_dentry)
+static int ecryptfs_init_lower_file(struct dentry *dentry,
+                                   struct file **lower_file)
 {
        const struct cred *cred = current_cred();
-       struct ecryptfs_inode_info *inode_info =
-               ecryptfs_inode_to_private(ecryptfs_dentry->d_inode);
-       int rc = 0;
+       struct dentry *lower_dentry = ecryptfs_dentry_to_lower(dentry);
+       struct vfsmount *lower_mnt = ecryptfs_dentry_to_lower_mnt(dentry);
+       int rc;
 
-       if (!inode_info->lower_file) {
-               struct dentry *lower_dentry;
-               struct vfsmount *lower_mnt =
-                       ecryptfs_dentry_to_lower_mnt(ecryptfs_dentry);
+       rc = ecryptfs_privileged_open(lower_file, lower_dentry, lower_mnt,
+                                     cred);
+       if (rc) {
+               printk(KERN_ERR "Error opening lower file "
+                      "for lower_dentry [0x%p] and lower_mnt [0x%p]; "
+                      "rc = [%d]\n", lower_dentry, lower_mnt, rc);
+               (*lower_file) = NULL;
+       }
+       return rc;
+}
 
-               lower_dentry = ecryptfs_dentry_to_lower(ecryptfs_dentry);
-               rc = ecryptfs_privileged_open(&inode_info->lower_file,
-                                             lower_dentry, lower_mnt, cred);
-               if (rc) {
-                       printk(KERN_ERR "Error opening lower persistent file "
-                              "for lower_dentry [0x%p] and lower_mnt [0x%p]; "
-                              "rc = [%d]\n", lower_dentry, lower_mnt, rc);
-                       inode_info->lower_file = NULL;
-               }
+int ecryptfs_get_lower_file(struct dentry *dentry)
+{
+       struct ecryptfs_inode_info *inode_info =
+               ecryptfs_inode_to_private(dentry->d_inode);
+       int count, rc = 0;
+
+       mutex_lock(&inode_info->lower_file_mutex);
+       count = atomic_inc_return(&inode_info->lower_file_count);
+       if (WARN_ON_ONCE(count < 1))
+               rc = -EINVAL;
+       else if (count == 1) {
+               rc = ecryptfs_init_lower_file(dentry,
+                                             &inode_info->lower_file);
+               if (rc)
+                       atomic_set(&inode_info->lower_file_count, 0);
        }
+       mutex_unlock(&inode_info->lower_file_mutex);
        return rc;
 }
 
+void ecryptfs_put_lower_file(struct inode *inode)
+{
+       struct ecryptfs_inode_info *inode_info;
+
+       inode_info = ecryptfs_inode_to_private(inode);
+       if (atomic_dec_and_mutex_lock(&inode_info->lower_file_count,
+                                     &inode_info->lower_file_mutex)) {
+               fput(inode_info->lower_file);
+               inode_info->lower_file = NULL;
+               mutex_unlock(&inode_info->lower_file_mutex);
+       }
+}
+
 static struct inode *ecryptfs_get_inode(struct inode *lower_inode,
                       struct super_block *sb)
 {
 
        if (unlikely(!inode_info))
                goto out;
        ecryptfs_init_crypt_stat(&inode_info->crypt_stat);
+       mutex_init(&inode_info->lower_file_mutex);
+       atomic_set(&inode_info->lower_file_count, 0);
        inode_info->lower_file = NULL;
        inode = &inode_info->vfs_inode;
 out:
  *
  * This is used during the final destruction of the inode.  All
  * allocation of memory related to the inode, including allocated
- * memory in the crypt_stat struct, will be released here. This
- * function also fput()'s the persistent file for the lower inode.
+ * memory in the crypt_stat struct, will be released here.
  * There should be no chance that this deallocation will be missed.
  */
 static void ecryptfs_destroy_inode(struct inode *inode)
        struct ecryptfs_inode_info *inode_info;
 
        inode_info = ecryptfs_inode_to_private(inode);
-       if (inode_info->lower_file) {
-               struct dentry *lower_dentry =
-                       inode_info->lower_file->f_dentry;
-
-               BUG_ON(!lower_dentry);
-               if (lower_dentry->d_inode) {
-                       fput(inode_info->lower_file);
-                       inode_info->lower_file = NULL;
-               }
-       }
+       BUG_ON(inode_info->lower_file);
        ecryptfs_destroy_crypt_stat(&inode_info->crypt_stat);
        call_rcu(&inode->i_rcu, ecryptfs_i_callback);
 }