diff --git a/fs/fs-writeback.c b/fs/fs-writeback.c
index 0f015a0..b8c507c 100644
--- a/fs/fs-writeback.c
+++ b/fs/fs-writeback.c
@@ -461,32 +461,6 @@
 }
 
 /*
- * For background writeback the caller does not have the sb pinned
- * before calling writeback. So make sure that we do pin it, so it doesn't
- * go away while we are writing inodes from it.
- */
-static bool pin_sb_for_writeback(struct super_block *sb)
-{
-	spin_lock(&sb_lock);
-	if (list_empty(&sb->s_instances)) {
-		spin_unlock(&sb_lock);
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	sb->s_count++;
-	spin_unlock(&sb_lock);
-
-	if (down_read_trylock(&sb->s_umount)) {
-		if (sb->s_root)
-			return true;
-		up_read(&sb->s_umount);
-	}
-
-	put_super(sb);
-	return false;
-}
-
-/*
  * Write a portion of b_io inodes which belong to @sb.
  *
  * If @only_this_sb is true, then find and write all such
@@ -585,7 +559,7 @@
 		struct inode *inode = wb_inode(wb->b_io.prev);
 		struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
 
-		if (!pin_sb_for_writeback(sb)) {
+		if (!grab_super_passive(sb)) {
 			requeue_io(inode);
 			continue;
 		}
diff --git a/fs/internal.h b/fs/internal.h
index ae47c48..fe327c2 100644
--- a/fs/internal.h
+++ b/fs/internal.h
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@
  * super.c
  */
 extern int do_remount_sb(struct super_block *, int, void *, int);
+extern bool grab_super_passive(struct super_block *sb);
 extern void __put_super(struct super_block *sb);
 extern void put_super(struct super_block *sb);
 extern struct dentry *mount_fs(struct file_system_type *,
diff --git a/fs/super.c b/fs/super.c
index 73ab9f9..e63c754 100644
--- a/fs/super.c
+++ b/fs/super.c
@@ -243,6 +243,39 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ *	grab_super_passive - acquire a passive reference
+ *	@s: reference we are trying to grab
+ *
+ *	Tries to acquire a passive reference. This is used in places where we
+ *	cannot take an active reference but we need to ensure that the
+ *	superblock does not go away while we are working on it. It returns
+ *	false if a reference was not gained, and returns true with the s_umount
+ *	lock held in read mode if a reference is gained. On successful return,
+ *	the caller must drop the s_umount lock and the passive reference when
+ *	done.
+ */
+bool grab_super_passive(struct super_block *sb)
+{
+	spin_lock(&sb_lock);
+	if (list_empty(&sb->s_instances)) {
+		spin_unlock(&sb_lock);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	sb->s_count++;
+	spin_unlock(&sb_lock);
+
+	if (down_read_trylock(&sb->s_umount)) {
+		if (sb->s_root)
+			return true;
+		up_read(&sb->s_umount);
+	}
+
+	put_super(sb);
+	return false;
+}
+
+/*
  * Superblock locking.  We really ought to get rid of these two.
  */
 void lock_super(struct super_block * sb)