diff --git a/Documentation/networking/dns_resolver.txt b/Documentation/networking/dns_resolver.txt
index 7f531ad83285..d86adcdae420 100644
--- a/Documentation/networking/dns_resolver.txt
+++ b/Documentation/networking/dns_resolver.txt
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ implemented in the module can be called after doing:
      If _expiry is non-NULL, the expiry time (TTL) of the result will be
      returned also.
 
+The kernel maintains an internal keyring in which it caches looked up keys.
+This can be cleared by any process that has the CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability by
+the use of KEYCTL_KEYRING_CLEAR on the keyring ID.
+
 
 ===============================
 READING DNS KEYS FROM USERSPACE
diff --git a/Documentation/security/keys.txt b/Documentation/security/keys.txt
index 4d75931d2d79..713ec232c562 100644
--- a/Documentation/security/keys.txt
+++ b/Documentation/security/keys.txt
@@ -554,6 +554,10 @@ The keyctl syscall functions are:
      process must have write permission on the keyring, and it must be a
      keyring (or else error ENOTDIR will result).
 
+     This function can also be used to clear special kernel keyrings if they
+     are appropriately marked if the user has CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability.  The
+     DNS resolver cache keyring is an example of this.
+
 
  (*) Link a key into a keyring:
 
diff --git a/fs/cifs/cifsacl.c b/fs/cifs/cifsacl.c
index 72ddf23ef6f7..854749d21bb1 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/cifsacl.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/cifsacl.c
@@ -556,6 +556,7 @@ init_cifs_idmap(void)
 
 	/* instruct request_key() to use this special keyring as a cache for
 	 * the results it looks up */
+	set_bit(KEY_FLAG_ROOT_CAN_CLEAR, &keyring->flags);
 	cred->thread_keyring = keyring;
 	cred->jit_keyring = KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_THREAD_KEYRING;
 	root_cred = cred;
diff --git a/fs/nfs/idmap.c b/fs/nfs/idmap.c
index 2c05f1991e1e..a1bbf7780dfc 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/idmap.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/idmap.c
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ int nfs_idmap_init(void)
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto failed_put_key;
 
+	set_bit(KEY_FLAG_ROOT_CAN_CLEAR, &keyring->flags);
 	cred->thread_keyring = keyring;
 	cred->jit_keyring = KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_THREAD_KEYRING;
 	id_resolver_cache = cred;
diff --git a/include/linux/key.h b/include/linux/key.h
index 183a6af7715d..3ac412855d83 100644
--- a/include/linux/key.h
+++ b/include/linux/key.h
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ struct key {
 #define KEY_FLAG_IN_QUOTA	3	/* set if key consumes quota */
 #define KEY_FLAG_USER_CONSTRUCT	4	/* set if key is being constructed in userspace */
 #define KEY_FLAG_NEGATIVE	5	/* set if key is negative */
+#define KEY_FLAG_ROOT_CAN_CLEAR	6	/* set if key can be cleared by root without permission */
 
 	/* the description string
 	 * - this is used to match a key against search criteria
diff --git a/net/dns_resolver/dns_key.c b/net/dns_resolver/dns_key.c
index fa000d26dc60..c73bba326d70 100644
--- a/net/dns_resolver/dns_key.c
+++ b/net/dns_resolver/dns_key.c
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ static int __init init_dns_resolver(void)
 
 	/* instruct request_key() to use this special keyring as a cache for
 	 * the results it looks up */
+	set_bit(KEY_FLAG_ROOT_CAN_CLEAR, &keyring->flags);
 	cred->thread_keyring = keyring;
 	cred->jit_keyring = KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_THREAD_KEYRING;
 	dns_resolver_cache = cred;
diff --git a/security/keys/keyctl.c b/security/keys/keyctl.c
index 0b3f5d72af1c..6523599e9ac0 100644
--- a/security/keys/keyctl.c
+++ b/security/keys/keyctl.c
@@ -388,11 +388,24 @@ long keyctl_keyring_clear(key_serial_t ringid)
 	keyring_ref = lookup_user_key(ringid, KEY_LOOKUP_CREATE, KEY_WRITE);
 	if (IS_ERR(keyring_ref)) {
 		ret = PTR_ERR(keyring_ref);
+
+		/* Root is permitted to invalidate certain special keyrings */
+		if (capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN)) {
+			keyring_ref = lookup_user_key(ringid, 0, 0);
+			if (IS_ERR(keyring_ref))
+				goto error;
+			if (test_bit(KEY_FLAG_ROOT_CAN_CLEAR,
+				     &key_ref_to_ptr(keyring_ref)->flags))
+				goto clear;
+			goto error_put;
+		}
+
 		goto error;
 	}
 
+clear:
 	ret = keyring_clear(key_ref_to_ptr(keyring_ref));
-
+error_put:
 	key_ref_put(keyring_ref);
 error:
 	return ret;