diff --git a/fs/nfs/pagelist.c b/fs/nfs/pagelist.c
index 5dae7c85d9b6e..2c7d76b4c5e18 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/pagelist.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/pagelist.c
@@ -132,47 +132,70 @@ nfs_async_iocounter_wait(struct rpc_task *task, struct nfs_lock_context *l_ctx)
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nfs_async_iocounter_wait);
 
 /*
- * nfs_page_group_lock - lock the head of the page group
- * @req - request in group that is to be locked
+ * nfs_page_set_headlock - set the request PG_HEADLOCK
+ * @req: request that is to be locked
  *
- * this lock must be held when traversing or modifying the page
- * group list
+ * this lock must be held when modifying req->wb_head
  *
  * return 0 on success, < 0 on error
  */
 int
-nfs_page_group_lock(struct nfs_page *req)
+nfs_page_set_headlock(struct nfs_page *req)
 {
-	struct nfs_page *head = req->wb_head;
-
-	WARN_ON_ONCE(head != head->wb_head);
-
-	if (!test_and_set_bit(PG_HEADLOCK, &head->wb_flags))
+	if (!test_and_set_bit(PG_HEADLOCK, &req->wb_flags))
 		return 0;
 
-	set_bit(PG_CONTENDED1, &head->wb_flags);
+	set_bit(PG_CONTENDED1, &req->wb_flags);
 	smp_mb__after_atomic();
-	return wait_on_bit_lock(&head->wb_flags, PG_HEADLOCK,
+	return wait_on_bit_lock(&req->wb_flags, PG_HEADLOCK,
 				TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE);
 }
 
 /*
- * nfs_page_group_unlock - unlock the head of the page group
- * @req - request in group that is to be unlocked
+ * nfs_page_clear_headlock - clear the request PG_HEADLOCK
+ * @req: request that is to be locked
  */
 void
-nfs_page_group_unlock(struct nfs_page *req)
+nfs_page_clear_headlock(struct nfs_page *req)
 {
-	struct nfs_page *head = req->wb_head;
-
-	WARN_ON_ONCE(head != head->wb_head);
-
 	smp_mb__before_atomic();
-	clear_bit(PG_HEADLOCK, &head->wb_flags);
+	clear_bit(PG_HEADLOCK, &req->wb_flags);
 	smp_mb__after_atomic();
-	if (!test_bit(PG_CONTENDED1, &head->wb_flags))
+	if (!test_bit(PG_CONTENDED1, &req->wb_flags))
 		return;
-	wake_up_bit(&head->wb_flags, PG_HEADLOCK);
+	wake_up_bit(&req->wb_flags, PG_HEADLOCK);
+}
+
+/*
+ * nfs_page_group_lock - lock the head of the page group
+ * @req: request in group that is to be locked
+ *
+ * this lock must be held when traversing or modifying the page
+ * group list
+ *
+ * return 0 on success, < 0 on error
+ */
+int
+nfs_page_group_lock(struct nfs_page *req)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = nfs_page_set_headlock(req);
+	if (ret || req->wb_head == req)
+		return ret;
+	return nfs_page_set_headlock(req->wb_head);
+}
+
+/*
+ * nfs_page_group_unlock - unlock the head of the page group
+ * @req: request in group that is to be unlocked
+ */
+void
+nfs_page_group_unlock(struct nfs_page *req)
+{
+	if (req != req->wb_head)
+		nfs_page_clear_headlock(req->wb_head);
+	nfs_page_clear_headlock(req);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/fs/nfs/write.c b/fs/nfs/write.c
index 63d20308a9bb7..d419d89b91f7c 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/write.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/write.c
@@ -416,22 +416,28 @@ nfs_destroy_unlinked_subrequests(struct nfs_page *destroy_list,
 		destroy_list = (subreq->wb_this_page == old_head) ?
 				   NULL : subreq->wb_this_page;
 
+		/* Note: lock subreq in order to change subreq->wb_head */
+		nfs_page_set_headlock(subreq);
 		WARN_ON_ONCE(old_head != subreq->wb_head);
 
 		/* make sure old group is not used */
 		subreq->wb_this_page = subreq;
+		subreq->wb_head = subreq;
 
 		clear_bit(PG_REMOVE, &subreq->wb_flags);
 
 		/* Note: races with nfs_page_group_destroy() */
 		if (!kref_read(&subreq->wb_kref)) {
 			/* Check if we raced with nfs_page_group_destroy() */
-			if (test_and_clear_bit(PG_TEARDOWN, &subreq->wb_flags))
+			if (test_and_clear_bit(PG_TEARDOWN, &subreq->wb_flags)) {
+				nfs_page_clear_headlock(subreq);
 				nfs_free_request(subreq);
+			} else
+				nfs_page_clear_headlock(subreq);
 			continue;
 		}
+		nfs_page_clear_headlock(subreq);
 
-		subreq->wb_head = subreq;
 		nfs_release_request(old_head);
 
 		if (test_and_clear_bit(PG_INODE_REF, &subreq->wb_flags)) {
diff --git a/include/linux/nfs_page.h b/include/linux/nfs_page.h
index ad69430fd0eb5..5162fc1533c2f 100644
--- a/include/linux/nfs_page.h
+++ b/include/linux/nfs_page.h
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ extern	void nfs_unlock_and_release_request(struct nfs_page *);
 extern int nfs_page_group_lock(struct nfs_page *);
 extern void nfs_page_group_unlock(struct nfs_page *);
 extern bool nfs_page_group_sync_on_bit(struct nfs_page *, unsigned int);
+extern	int nfs_page_set_headlock(struct nfs_page *req);
+extern void nfs_page_clear_headlock(struct nfs_page *req);
 extern bool nfs_async_iocounter_wait(struct rpc_task *, struct nfs_lock_context *);
 
 /*
