return err;
 }
 
+static struct rpc_clnt *rpc_get_client_for_event(struct net *net, int event)
+{
+       struct sunrpc_net *sn = net_generic(net, sunrpc_net_id);
+       struct rpc_clnt *clnt;
+
+       spin_lock(&sn->rpc_client_lock);
+       list_for_each_entry(clnt, &sn->all_clients, cl_clients) {
+               if (((event == RPC_PIPEFS_MOUNT) && clnt->cl_dentry) ||
+                   ((event == RPC_PIPEFS_UMOUNT) && !clnt->cl_dentry))
+                       continue;
+               atomic_inc(&clnt->cl_count);
+               spin_unlock(&sn->rpc_client_lock);
+               return clnt;
+       }
+       spin_unlock(&sn->rpc_client_lock);
+       return NULL;
+}
+
 static int rpc_pipefs_event(struct notifier_block *nb, unsigned long event,
                            void *ptr)
 {
        struct super_block *sb = ptr;
        struct rpc_clnt *clnt;
        int error = 0;
-       struct sunrpc_net *sn = net_generic(sb->s_fs_info, sunrpc_net_id);
 
-       spin_lock(&sn->rpc_client_lock);
-       list_for_each_entry(clnt, &sn->all_clients, cl_clients) {
+       while ((clnt = rpc_get_client_for_event(sb->s_fs_info, event))) {
                error = __rpc_pipefs_event(clnt, event, sb);
+               rpc_release_client(clnt);
                if (error)
                        break;
        }
-       spin_unlock(&sn->rpc_client_lock);
        return error;
 }