Hi Miklos, Looking at the following: int ovl_copy_up(struct dentry *dentry) { int err; err = 0; while (!err) { struct dentry *next; struct dentry *parent; struct path lowerpath; struct kstat stat; enum ovl_path_type type = ovl_path_type(dentry); if (type != OVL_PATH_LOWER) break; next = dget(dentry); /* find the topmost dentry not yet copied up */ for (;;) { parent = dget_parent(next); type = ovl_path_type(parent); if (type != OVL_PATH_LOWER) break; dput(next); next = parent; } ovl_path_lower(next, &lowerpath); err = vfs_getattr(&lowerpath, &stat); if (!err) err = ovl_copy_up_one(parent, next, &lowerpath, &stat); dput(parent); dput(next); } return err; } In the for-loop in the middle, if you ascend any levels at all, how are you protected from racing with copy-ups taking place on those more rootwards dentries? I can see ovl_copy_up_one() using lock_rename() on the workdir and upperdir, but there's no relevant lock on the overlayfs fs. You stepped out of the lock the VFS caller holds when you ascended. David -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-fsdevel" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html