diff --git a/fs/nfs/inode.c b/fs/nfs/inode.c
index cd0e57f3a00fe1a2641cd9de13917f81291be2dd..cc3a09db41a91cea46be14257ea533a1f496a91a 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/inode.c
@@ -461,9 +461,18 @@ int nfs_getattr(struct vfsmount *mnt, struct dentry *dentry, struct kstat *stat)
 	int need_atime = NFS_I(inode)->cache_validity & NFS_INO_INVALID_ATIME;
 	int err;
 
-	/* Flush out writes to the server in order to update c/mtime */
-	if (S_ISREG(inode->i_mode))
+	/*
+	 * Flush out writes to the server in order to update c/mtime.
+	 *
+	 * Hold the i_mutex to suspend application writes temporarily;
+	 * this prevents long-running writing applications from blocking
+	 * nfs_wb_nocommit.
+	 */
+	if (S_ISREG(inode->i_mode)) {
+		mutex_lock(&inode->i_mutex);
 		nfs_wb_nocommit(inode);
+		mutex_unlock(&inode->i_mutex);
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * We may force a getattr if the user cares about atime.