diff --git a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
index ebfa35fe1c38..71b238364939 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/ctree.c
@@ -1447,6 +1447,11 @@ read_block_for_search(struct btrfs_root *root, struct btrfs_path *p,
 			return 0;
 		}
 
+		if (p->nowait) {
+			free_extent_buffer(tmp);
+			return -EAGAIN;
+		}
+
 		if (unlock_up)
 			btrfs_unlock_up_safe(p, level + 1);
 
@@ -1467,6 +1472,8 @@ read_block_for_search(struct btrfs_root *root, struct btrfs_path *p,
 			ret = -EAGAIN;
 
 		goto out;
+	} else if (p->nowait) {
+		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
 	if (unlock_up) {
@@ -1634,7 +1641,13 @@ static struct extent_buffer *btrfs_search_slot_get_root(struct btrfs_root *root,
 		 * We don't know the level of the root node until we actually
 		 * have it read locked
 		 */
-		b = btrfs_read_lock_root_node(root);
+		if (p->nowait) {
+			b = btrfs_try_read_lock_root_node(root);
+			if (IS_ERR(b))
+				return b;
+		} else {
+			b = btrfs_read_lock_root_node(root);
+		}
 		level = btrfs_header_level(b);
 		if (level > write_lock_level)
 			goto out;
@@ -1910,6 +1923,13 @@ int btrfs_search_slot(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans, struct btrfs_root *root,
 	WARN_ON(p->nodes[0] != NULL);
 	BUG_ON(!cow && ins_len);
 
+	/*
+	 * For now only allow nowait for read only operations.  There's no
+	 * strict reason why we can't, we just only need it for reads so I'm
+	 * only implementing it for reads right now.
+	 */
+	ASSERT(!p->nowait || !cow);
+
 	if (ins_len < 0) {
 		lowest_unlock = 2;
 
@@ -1936,7 +1956,12 @@ int btrfs_search_slot(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans, struct btrfs_root *root,
 
 	if (p->need_commit_sem) {
 		ASSERT(p->search_commit_root);
-		down_read(&fs_info->commit_root_sem);
+		if (p->nowait) {
+			if (!down_read_trylock(&fs_info->commit_root_sem))
+				return -EAGAIN;
+		} else {
+			down_read(&fs_info->commit_root_sem);
+		}
 	}
 
 again:
@@ -2082,7 +2107,15 @@ int btrfs_search_slot(struct btrfs_trans_handle *trans, struct btrfs_root *root,
 				btrfs_tree_lock(b);
 				p->locks[level] = BTRFS_WRITE_LOCK;
 			} else {
-				btrfs_tree_read_lock(b);
+				if (p->nowait) {
+					if (!btrfs_try_tree_read_lock(b)) {
+						free_extent_buffer(b);
+						ret = -EAGAIN;
+						goto done;
+					}
+				} else {
+					btrfs_tree_read_lock(b);
+				}
 				p->locks[level] = BTRFS_READ_LOCK;
 			}
 			p->nodes[level] = b;
diff --git a/fs/btrfs/ctree.h b/fs/btrfs/ctree.h
index 9ef162dbd4bc..d6d05450198d 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/ctree.h
+++ b/fs/btrfs/ctree.h
@@ -443,6 +443,7 @@ struct btrfs_path {
 	 * header (ie. sizeof(struct btrfs_item) is not included).
 	 */
 	unsigned int search_for_extension:1;
+	unsigned int nowait:1;
 };
 #define BTRFS_MAX_EXTENT_ITEM_SIZE(r) ((BTRFS_LEAF_DATA_SIZE(r->fs_info) >> 4) - \
 					sizeof(struct btrfs_item))
diff --git a/fs/btrfs/locking.c b/fs/btrfs/locking.c
index 9063072b399b..d6c88922d3e2 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/locking.c
+++ b/fs/btrfs/locking.c
@@ -285,6 +285,29 @@ struct extent_buffer *btrfs_read_lock_root_node(struct btrfs_root *root)
 	return eb;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Loop around taking references on and locking the root node of the tree in
+ * nowait mode until we end up with a lock on the root node or returning to
+ * avoid blocking.
+ *
+ * Return: root extent buffer with read lock held or -EWOULDBLOCK.
+ */
+struct extent_buffer *btrfs_try_read_lock_root_node(struct btrfs_root *root)
+{
+	struct extent_buffer *eb;
+
+	while (1) {
+		eb = btrfs_root_node(root);
+		if (!btrfs_try_tree_read_lock(eb))
+			return ERR_PTR(-EAGAIN);
+		if (eb == root->node)
+			break;
+		btrfs_tree_read_unlock(eb);
+		free_extent_buffer(eb);
+	}
+	return eb;
+}
+
 /*
  * DREW locks
  * ==========
diff --git a/fs/btrfs/locking.h b/fs/btrfs/locking.h
index ab268be09bb5..490c7a79e995 100644
--- a/fs/btrfs/locking.h
+++ b/fs/btrfs/locking.h
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ int btrfs_try_tree_read_lock(struct extent_buffer *eb);
 int btrfs_try_tree_write_lock(struct extent_buffer *eb);
 struct extent_buffer *btrfs_lock_root_node(struct btrfs_root *root);
 struct extent_buffer *btrfs_read_lock_root_node(struct btrfs_root *root);
+struct extent_buffer *btrfs_try_read_lock_root_node(struct btrfs_root *root);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_BTRFS_DEBUG
 static inline void btrfs_assert_tree_write_locked(struct extent_buffer *eb)
