diff --git a/mm/madvise.c b/mm/madvise.c
index 1f2693dccf7b08a8960b015a5491d01f7e27b81a..38d0f515d5486868e8487a4299abce64764eedb2 100644
--- a/mm/madvise.c
+++ b/mm/madvise.c
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ static int replace_anon_vma_name(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 /*
  * Update the vm_flags on region of a vma, splitting it or merging it as
  * necessary.  Must be called with mmap_sem held for writing;
+ * Caller should ensure anon_name stability by raising its refcount even when
+ * anon_name belongs to a valid vma because this function might free that vma.
  */
 static int madvise_update_vma(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 			      struct vm_area_struct **prev, unsigned long start,
@@ -945,6 +947,7 @@ static int madvise_vma_behavior(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 				unsigned long behavior)
 {
 	int error;
+	struct anon_vma_name *anon_name;
 	unsigned long new_flags = vma->vm_flags;
 
 	switch (behavior) {
@@ -1010,8 +1013,11 @@ static int madvise_vma_behavior(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 		break;
 	}
 
+	anon_name = anon_vma_name(vma);
+	anon_vma_name_get(anon_name);
 	error = madvise_update_vma(vma, prev, start, end, new_flags,
-				   anon_vma_name(vma));
+				   anon_name);
+	anon_vma_name_put(anon_name);
 
 out:
 	/*