diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
index dede43c37336..e439a882e0c2 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
@@ -740,8 +740,9 @@ expire_client(struct nfs4_client *clp)
 	list_del(&clp->cl_strhash);
 	spin_lock(&client_lock);
 	unhash_client_locked(clp);
+	if (atomic_read(&clp->cl_refcount) == 0)
+		free_client(clp);
 	spin_unlock(&client_lock);
-	free_client(clp);
 }
 
 static void copy_verf(struct nfs4_client *target, nfs4_verifier *source)
@@ -827,6 +828,7 @@ static struct nfs4_client *create_client(struct xdr_netobj name, char *recdir,
 	}
 
 	memcpy(clp->cl_recdir, recdir, HEXDIR_LEN);
+	atomic_set(&clp->cl_refcount, 0);
 	atomic_set(&clp->cl_cb_set, 0);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&clp->cl_idhash);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&clp->cl_strhash);
diff --git a/fs/nfsd/state.h b/fs/nfsd/state.h
index 98836fd87f69..ee42a0beecfa 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/state.h
+++ b/fs/nfsd/state.h
@@ -233,6 +233,8 @@ struct nfs4_client {
 	struct nfsd4_clid_slot	cl_cs_slot;	/* create_session slot */
 	u32			cl_exchange_flags;
 	struct nfs4_sessionid	cl_sessionid;
+	/* number of rpc's in progress over an associated session: */
+	atomic_t		cl_refcount;
 
 	/* for nfs41 callbacks */
 	/* We currently support a single back channel with a single slot */