diff --git a/fs/namespace.c b/fs/namespace.c
index 94f026ec990ae24548eb02754f221b844abe0c2b..066b393578c1d8ed5bd93a4a366b563d9150fdfa 100644
--- a/fs/namespace.c
+++ b/fs/namespace.c
@@ -80,6 +80,60 @@ struct vfsmount *alloc_vfsmnt(const char *name)
 	return mnt;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Most r/o checks on a fs are for operations that take
+ * discrete amounts of time, like a write() or unlink().
+ * We must keep track of when those operations start
+ * (for permission checks) and when they end, so that
+ * we can determine when writes are able to occur to
+ * a filesystem.
+ */
+/**
+ * mnt_want_write - get write access to a mount
+ * @mnt: the mount on which to take a write
+ *
+ * This tells the low-level filesystem that a write is
+ * about to be performed to it, and makes sure that
+ * writes are allowed before returning success.  When
+ * the write operation is finished, mnt_drop_write()
+ * must be called.  This is effectively a refcount.
+ */
+int mnt_want_write(struct vfsmount *mnt)
+{
+	if (__mnt_is_readonly(mnt))
+		return -EROFS;
+	return 0;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(mnt_want_write);
+
+/**
+ * mnt_drop_write - give up write access to a mount
+ * @mnt: the mount on which to give up write access
+ *
+ * Tells the low-level filesystem that we are done
+ * performing writes to it.  Must be matched with
+ * mnt_want_write() call above.
+ */
+void mnt_drop_write(struct vfsmount *mnt)
+{
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(mnt_drop_write);
+
+/*
+ * __mnt_is_readonly: check whether a mount is read-only
+ * @mnt: the mount to check for its write status
+ *
+ * This shouldn't be used directly ouside of the VFS.
+ * It does not guarantee that the filesystem will stay
+ * r/w, just that it is right *now*.  This can not and
+ * should not be used in place of IS_RDONLY(inode).
+ */
+int __mnt_is_readonly(struct vfsmount *mnt)
+{
+	return (mnt->mnt_sb->s_flags & MS_RDONLY);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(__mnt_is_readonly);
+
 int simple_set_mnt(struct vfsmount *mnt, struct super_block *sb)
 {
 	mnt->mnt_sb = sb;
diff --git a/include/linux/mount.h b/include/linux/mount.h
index 5ee2df217cdfbd05cad3ea32de6777db52c271c6..2eecd2c8c760fbfde8225d756d200c01a2569c76 100644
--- a/include/linux/mount.h
+++ b/include/linux/mount.h
@@ -71,9 +71,12 @@ static inline struct vfsmount *mntget(struct vfsmount *mnt)
 	return mnt;
 }
 
+extern int mnt_want_write(struct vfsmount *mnt);
+extern void mnt_drop_write(struct vfsmount *mnt);
 extern void mntput_no_expire(struct vfsmount *mnt);
 extern void mnt_pin(struct vfsmount *mnt);
 extern void mnt_unpin(struct vfsmount *mnt);
+extern int __mnt_is_readonly(struct vfsmount *mnt);
 
 static inline void mntput(struct vfsmount *mnt)
 {