diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 024993535b6f195af876727238ed9390d65af62a..a6575ca9f9d77eb49e2d14fbe27068cd1a6e70f0 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -362,6 +362,19 @@ int deny_write_access(struct file * file)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * path_get - get a reference to a path
+ * @path: path to get the reference to
+ *
+ * Given a path increment the reference count to the dentry and the vfsmount.
+ */
+void path_get(struct path *path)
+{
+	mntget(path->mnt);
+	dget(path->dentry);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(path_get);
+
 /**
  * path_put - put a reference to a path
  * @path: path to put the reference to
@@ -1160,8 +1173,8 @@ static int do_path_lookup(int dfd, const char *name,
 		if (retval)
 			goto fput_fail;
 
-		nd->path.mnt = mntget(file->f_path.mnt);
-		nd->path.dentry = dget(dentry);
+		nd->path = file->f_path;
+		path_get(&file->f_path);
 
 		fput_light(file, fput_needed);
 	}
diff --git a/include/linux/path.h b/include/linux/path.h
index 4d976f959f338b54eb810a14e89f4ff1c1a9d6fe..915e0c382a51fad7a3169748664b5e2153fa645e 100644
--- a/include/linux/path.h
+++ b/include/linux/path.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ struct path {
 	struct dentry *dentry;
 };
 
+extern void path_get(struct path *);
 extern void path_put(struct path *);
 
 #endif  /* _LINUX_PATH_H */