diff --git a/fs/nfs/pnfs.c b/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
index ef14ea0..da5caca 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
@@ -347,11 +347,15 @@ pnfs_set_plh_return_info(struct pnfs_layout_hdr *lo, enum pnfs_iomode iomode,
 		iomode = IOMODE_ANY;
 	lo->plh_return_iomode = iomode;
 	set_bit(NFS_LAYOUT_RETURN_REQUESTED, &lo->plh_flags);
-	if (seq != 0) {
-		WARN_ON_ONCE(lo->plh_return_seq != 0 && lo->plh_return_seq != seq);
+	/*
+	 * We must set lo->plh_return_seq to avoid livelocks with
+	 * pnfs_layout_need_return()
+	 */
+	if (seq == 0)
+		seq = be32_to_cpu(lo->plh_stateid.seqid);
+	if (!lo->plh_return_seq || pnfs_seqid_is_newer(seq, lo->plh_return_seq))
 		lo->plh_return_seq = seq;
-		pnfs_barrier_update(lo, seq);
-	}
+	pnfs_barrier_update(lo, seq);
 }
 
 static void