diff --git a/fs/gfs2/incore.h b/fs/gfs2/incore.h
index 9fd88ed188073a9194f960fde6cb772eee8dbc58..3cd2de3db40a4329a14c13ba327dd1faead17393 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/incore.h
+++ b/fs/gfs2/incore.h
@@ -618,6 +618,7 @@ enum {
 	SDF_FORCE_AIL_FLUSH     = 9,
 	SDF_AIL1_IO_ERROR	= 10,
 	SDF_FS_FROZEN           = 11,
+	SDF_WITHDRAWING		= 12, /* Will withdraw eventually */
 };
 
 enum gfs2_freeze_state {
diff --git a/fs/gfs2/log.c b/fs/gfs2/log.c
index c4c7c013f7a73680942a7a224878aa5aab5e45d1..d1ab04135b2f6822582d577f019104a0c265a83b 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/log.c
+++ b/fs/gfs2/log.c
@@ -88,8 +88,7 @@ static void gfs2_remove_from_ail(struct gfs2_bufdata *bd)
 
 static int gfs2_ail1_start_one(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp,
 			       struct writeback_control *wbc,
-			       struct gfs2_trans *tr,
-			       bool *withdraw)
+			       struct gfs2_trans *tr)
 __releases(&sdp->sd_ail_lock)
 __acquires(&sdp->sd_ail_lock)
 {
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ __acquires(&sdp->sd_ail_lock)
 			    !test_and_set_bit(SDF_AIL1_IO_ERROR,
 					      &sdp->sd_flags)) {
 				gfs2_io_error_bh(sdp, bh);
-				*withdraw = true;
+				gfs2_withdraw_delayed(sdp);
 			}
 			list_move(&bd->bd_ail_st_list, &tr->tr_ail2_list);
 			continue;
@@ -149,7 +148,6 @@ void gfs2_ail1_flush(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp, struct writeback_control *wbc)
 	struct list_head *head = &sdp->sd_ail1_list;
 	struct gfs2_trans *tr;
 	struct blk_plug plug;
-	bool withdraw = false;
 
 	trace_gfs2_ail_flush(sdp, wbc, 1);
 	blk_start_plug(&plug);
@@ -158,13 +156,12 @@ void gfs2_ail1_flush(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp, struct writeback_control *wbc)
 	list_for_each_entry_reverse(tr, head, tr_list) {
 		if (wbc->nr_to_write <= 0)
 			break;
-		if (gfs2_ail1_start_one(sdp, wbc, tr, &withdraw) &&
-		    !gfs2_withdrawn(sdp))
+		if (gfs2_ail1_start_one(sdp, wbc, tr) && !gfs2_withdrawn(sdp))
 			goto restart;
 	}
 	spin_unlock(&sdp->sd_ail_lock);
 	blk_finish_plug(&plug);
-	if (withdraw)
+	if (test_bit(SDF_WITHDRAWING, &sdp->sd_flags))
 		gfs2_withdraw(sdp);
 	trace_gfs2_ail_flush(sdp, wbc, 0);
 }
@@ -193,8 +190,7 @@ static void gfs2_ail1_start(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp)
  *
  */
 
-static void gfs2_ail1_empty_one(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp, struct gfs2_trans *tr,
-				bool *withdraw)
+static void gfs2_ail1_empty_one(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp, struct gfs2_trans *tr)
 {
 	struct gfs2_bufdata *bd, *s;
 	struct buffer_head *bh;
@@ -208,7 +204,7 @@ static void gfs2_ail1_empty_one(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp, struct gfs2_trans *tr,
 		if (!buffer_uptodate(bh) &&
 		    !test_and_set_bit(SDF_AIL1_IO_ERROR, &sdp->sd_flags)) {
 			gfs2_io_error_bh(sdp, bh);
-			*withdraw = true;
+			gfs2_withdraw_delayed(sdp);
 		}
 		list_move(&bd->bd_ail_st_list, &tr->tr_ail2_list);
 	}
@@ -226,11 +222,10 @@ static int gfs2_ail1_empty(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp)
 	struct gfs2_trans *tr, *s;
 	int oldest_tr = 1;
 	int ret;
-	bool withdraw = false;
 
 	spin_lock(&sdp->sd_ail_lock);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe_reverse(tr, s, &sdp->sd_ail1_list, tr_list) {
-		gfs2_ail1_empty_one(sdp, tr, &withdraw);
+		gfs2_ail1_empty_one(sdp, tr);
 		if (list_empty(&tr->tr_ail1_list) && oldest_tr)
 			list_move(&tr->tr_list, &sdp->sd_ail2_list);
 		else
@@ -239,7 +234,7 @@ static int gfs2_ail1_empty(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp)
 	ret = list_empty(&sdp->sd_ail1_list);
 	spin_unlock(&sdp->sd_ail_lock);
 
-	if (withdraw) {
+	if (test_bit(SDF_WITHDRAWING, &sdp->sd_flags)) {
 		gfs2_lm(sdp, "fatal: I/O error(s)\n");
 		gfs2_withdraw(sdp);
 	}
diff --git a/fs/gfs2/util.c b/fs/gfs2/util.c
index ec8e8c5ce8483302f17f3613f28444607b2c209e..47cd40de08b1011e8485221537127268c9bafb50 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/util.c
+++ b/fs/gfs2/util.c
@@ -249,13 +249,13 @@ void gfs2_io_error_bh_i(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp, struct buffer_head *bh,
 			const char *function, char *file, unsigned int line,
 			bool withdraw)
 {
-	if (!gfs2_withdrawn(sdp))
-		fs_err(sdp,
-		       "fatal: I/O error\n"
-		       "  block = %llu\n"
-		       "  function = %s, file = %s, line = %u\n",
-		       (unsigned long long)bh->b_blocknr,
-		       function, file, line);
+	if (gfs2_withdrawn(sdp))
+		return;
+
+	fs_err(sdp, "fatal: I/O error\n"
+	       "  block = %llu\n"
+	       "  function = %s, file = %s, line = %u\n",
+	       (unsigned long long)bh->b_blocknr, function, file, line);
 	if (withdraw)
 		gfs2_withdraw(sdp);
 }
diff --git a/fs/gfs2/util.h b/fs/gfs2/util.h
index 572399e75ce660f9ab50093b114259dd8814163b..16b2cc6c45602421f1d944eb9a333ca2c2960a3e 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/util.h
+++ b/fs/gfs2/util.h
@@ -172,13 +172,23 @@ static inline unsigned int gfs2_tune_get_i(struct gfs2_tune *gt,
 	return x;
 }
 
+/**
+ * gfs2_withdraw_delayed - withdraw as soon as possible without deadlocks
+ * @sdp: the superblock
+ */
+static inline void gfs2_withdraw_delayed(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp)
+{
+	set_bit(SDF_WITHDRAWING, &sdp->sd_flags);
+}
+
 /**
  * gfs2_withdrawn - test whether the file system is withdrawing or withdrawn
  * @sdp: the superblock
  */
 static inline bool gfs2_withdrawn(struct gfs2_sbd *sdp)
 {
-	return test_bit(SDF_WITHDRAWN, &sdp->sd_flags);
+	return test_bit(SDF_WITHDRAWN, &sdp->sd_flags) ||
+		test_bit(SDF_WITHDRAWING, &sdp->sd_flags);
 }
 
 #define gfs2_tune_get(sdp, field) \