diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/Locking b/Documentation/filesystems/Locking
index f91926f2f482..2e19f5f543b3 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/Locking
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/Locking
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ prototypes:
 			struct inode *, struct dentry *, unsigned int);
 	int (*readlink) (struct dentry *, char __user *,int);
 	void * (*follow_link) (struct dentry *, struct nameidata *);
-	void (*put_link) (struct dentry *, struct nameidata *, void *);
+	void (*put_link) (struct dentry *, char *, void *);
 	void (*truncate) (struct inode *);
 	int (*permission) (struct inode *, int, unsigned int);
 	int (*get_acl)(struct inode *, int);
diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/porting b/Documentation/filesystems/porting
index fa2db081505e..088dd1fbba90 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/porting
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/porting
@@ -471,3 +471,8 @@ in your dentry operations instead.
 [mandatory]
 	f_dentry is gone; use f_path.dentry, or, better yet, see if you can avoid
 	it entirely.
+--
+[mandatory]
+	->put_link now takes a 'char *' rather than a 'struct nameidata*'.
+	Instead of calling nd_get_link() on the later, just use the former
+	directly.
diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/vfs.txt b/Documentation/filesystems/vfs.txt
index 966b22829f3b..cb8f31bc2fec 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/vfs.txt
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/vfs.txt
@@ -350,8 +350,8 @@ struct inode_operations {
 	int (*rename2) (struct inode *, struct dentry *,
 			struct inode *, struct dentry *, unsigned int);
 	int (*readlink) (struct dentry *, char __user *,int);
-        void * (*follow_link) (struct dentry *, struct nameidata *);
-        void (*put_link) (struct dentry *, struct nameidata *, void *);
+	void * (*follow_link) (struct dentry *, struct nameidata *);
+	void (*put_link) (struct dentry *, char *, void *);
 	int (*permission) (struct inode *, int);
 	int (*get_acl)(struct inode *, int);
 	int (*setattr) (struct dentry *, struct iattr *);
diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/llite/symlink.c b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/llite/symlink.c
index ba37eb6b29dc..d2b4cd1399c3 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/llite/symlink.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/llite/symlink.c
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ static void *ll_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return request;
 }
 
-static void ll_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *cookie)
+static void ll_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link, void *cookie)
 {
 	ptlrpc_req_finished(cookie);
 }
diff --git a/fs/9p/v9fs.h b/fs/9p/v9fs.h
index 099c7712631c..239307689a64 100644
--- a/fs/9p/v9fs.h
+++ b/fs/9p/v9fs.h
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ extern int v9fs_vfs_unlink(struct inode *i, struct dentry *d);
 extern int v9fs_vfs_rmdir(struct inode *i, struct dentry *d);
 extern int v9fs_vfs_rename(struct inode *old_dir, struct dentry *old_dentry,
 			struct inode *new_dir, struct dentry *new_dentry);
-extern void v9fs_vfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd,
+extern void v9fs_vfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link,
 			void *p);
 extern struct inode *v9fs_inode_from_fid(struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses,
 					 struct p9_fid *fid,
diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
index 3662f1d1d9cf..f39075956cdc 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
@@ -1310,10 +1310,8 @@ static void *v9fs_vfs_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
  */
 
 void
-v9fs_vfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *p)
+v9fs_vfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *s, void *p)
 {
-	char *s = nd_get_link(nd);
-
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, " %pd %s\n",
 		 dentry, IS_ERR(s) ? "<error>" : s);
 	if (!IS_ERR(s))
diff --git a/fs/configfs/symlink.c b/fs/configfs/symlink.c
index cc9f2546ea4a..e860ddb2bd61 100644
--- a/fs/configfs/symlink.c
+++ b/fs/configfs/symlink.c
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ static void *configfs_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static void configfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd,
+static void configfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link,
 			      void *cookie)
 {
 	if (cookie) {
diff --git a/fs/fuse/dir.c b/fs/fuse/dir.c
index 1545b711ddcf..3fd76f1afd4e 100644
--- a/fs/fuse/dir.c
+++ b/fs/fuse/dir.c
@@ -1406,9 +1406,9 @@ static void *fuse_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static void fuse_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *c)
+static void fuse_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link, void *c)
 {
-	free_link(nd_get_link(nd));
+	free_link(link);
 }
 
 static int fuse_dir_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
diff --git a/fs/hostfs/hostfs_kern.c b/fs/hostfs/hostfs_kern.c
index fd62cae0fdcb..b59cdb8a25d4 100644
--- a/fs/hostfs/hostfs_kern.c
+++ b/fs/hostfs/hostfs_kern.c
@@ -906,9 +906,8 @@ static void *hostfs_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static void hostfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *cookie)
+static void hostfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *s, void *cookie)
 {
-	char *s = nd_get_link(nd);
 	if (!IS_ERR(s))
 		__putname(s);
 }
diff --git a/fs/hppfs/hppfs.c b/fs/hppfs/hppfs.c
index 043ac9d77262..bcf70e5331f6 100644
--- a/fs/hppfs/hppfs.c
+++ b/fs/hppfs/hppfs.c
@@ -649,13 +649,13 @@ static void *hppfs_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return proc_dentry->d_inode->i_op->follow_link(proc_dentry, nd);
 }
 
-static void hppfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd,
+static void hppfs_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link,
 			   void *cookie)
 {
 	struct dentry *proc_dentry = HPPFS_I(dentry->d_inode)->proc_dentry;
 
 	if (proc_dentry->d_inode->i_op->put_link)
-		proc_dentry->d_inode->i_op->put_link(proc_dentry, nd, cookie);
+		proc_dentry->d_inode->i_op->put_link(proc_dentry, link, cookie);
 }
 
 static const struct inode_operations hppfs_dir_iops = {
diff --git a/fs/kernfs/symlink.c b/fs/kernfs/symlink.c
index 8a198898e39a..2aa55cbce0c2 100644
--- a/fs/kernfs/symlink.c
+++ b/fs/kernfs/symlink.c
@@ -125,10 +125,9 @@ static void *kernfs_iop_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static void kernfs_iop_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd,
+static void kernfs_iop_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *page,
 				void *cookie)
 {
-	char *page = nd_get_link(nd);
 	if (!IS_ERR(page))
 		free_page((unsigned long)page);
 }
diff --git a/fs/libfs.c b/fs/libfs.c
index 0ab65122ee45..88cae4d39bd1 100644
--- a/fs/libfs.c
+++ b/fs/libfs.c
@@ -1024,10 +1024,8 @@ int noop_fsync(struct file *file, loff_t start, loff_t end, int datasync)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(noop_fsync);
 
-void kfree_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd,
-				void *cookie)
+void kfree_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *s, void *cookie)
 {
-	char *s = nd_get_link(nd);
 	if (!IS_ERR(s))
 		kfree(s);
 }
diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 53bead4f5bdf..7ad88ea8c609 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -739,17 +739,16 @@ void nd_set_link(struct nameidata *nd, char *path)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(nd_set_link);
 
-char *nd_get_link(struct nameidata *nd)
+static inline char *nd_get_link(struct nameidata *nd)
 {
 	return nd->saved_names[nd->depth];
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(nd_get_link);
 
 static inline void put_link(struct nameidata *nd, struct path *link, void *cookie)
 {
 	struct inode *inode = link->dentry->d_inode;
 	if (inode->i_op->put_link)
-		inode->i_op->put_link(link->dentry, nd, cookie);
+		inode->i_op->put_link(link->dentry, nd_get_link(nd), cookie);
 	path_put(link);
 }
 
@@ -4465,9 +4464,11 @@ int generic_readlink(struct dentry *dentry, char __user *buffer, int buflen)
 	if (IS_ERR(cookie))
 		res = PTR_ERR(cookie);
 	else {
-		res = readlink_copy(buffer, buflen, nd_get_link(&nd));
+		char *link = nd_get_link(&nd);
+
+		res = readlink_copy(buffer, buflen, link);
 		if (dentry->d_inode->i_op->put_link)
-			dentry->d_inode->i_op->put_link(dentry, &nd, cookie);
+			dentry->d_inode->i_op->put_link(dentry, link, cookie);
 	}
 	set_nameidata(saved);
 	return res;
@@ -4509,7 +4510,7 @@ void *page_follow_link_light(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(page_follow_link_light);
 
-void page_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *cookie)
+void page_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link, void *cookie)
 {
 	struct page *page = cookie;
 
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/inode.c b/fs/overlayfs/inode.c
index 1b4b9c5e51b7..f1abb51bf9ec 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/inode.c
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ static void *ovl_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return data;
 }
 
-static void ovl_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *c)
+static void ovl_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link, void *c)
 {
 	struct inode *realinode;
 	struct ovl_link_data *data = c;
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ static void ovl_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *c)
 		return;
 
 	realinode = data->realdentry->d_inode;
-	realinode->i_op->put_link(data->realdentry, nd, data->cookie);
+	realinode->i_op->put_link(data->realdentry, link, data->cookie);
 	kfree(data);
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/proc/inode.c b/fs/proc/inode.c
index 7697b6621cfd..a4a716e6d6b9 100644
--- a/fs/proc/inode.c
+++ b/fs/proc/inode.c
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ static void *proc_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return pde;
 }
 
-static void proc_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *p)
+static void proc_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link, void *p)
 {
 	unuse_pde(p);
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/fs.h b/include/linux/fs.h
index b821fa32ba3f..510b749c4040 100644
--- a/include/linux/fs.h
+++ b/include/linux/fs.h
@@ -1579,7 +1579,7 @@ struct inode_operations {
 	struct posix_acl * (*get_acl)(struct inode *, int);
 
 	int (*readlink) (struct dentry *, char __user *,int);
-	void (*put_link) (struct dentry *, struct nameidata *, void *);
+	void (*put_link) (struct dentry *, char *, void *);
 
 	int (*create) (struct inode *,struct dentry *, umode_t, bool);
 	int (*link) (struct dentry *,struct inode *,struct dentry *);
@@ -2650,12 +2650,12 @@ extern const struct file_operations generic_ro_fops;
 extern int readlink_copy(char __user *, int, const char *);
 extern int page_readlink(struct dentry *, char __user *, int);
 extern void *page_follow_link_light(struct dentry *, struct nameidata *);
-extern void page_put_link(struct dentry *, struct nameidata *, void *);
+extern void page_put_link(struct dentry *, char *, void *);
 extern int __page_symlink(struct inode *inode, const char *symname, int len,
 		int nofs);
 extern int page_symlink(struct inode *inode, const char *symname, int len);
 extern const struct inode_operations page_symlink_inode_operations;
-extern void kfree_put_link(struct dentry *, struct nameidata *, void *);
+extern void kfree_put_link(struct dentry *, char *, void *);
 extern int generic_readlink(struct dentry *, char __user *, int);
 extern void generic_fillattr(struct inode *, struct kstat *);
 int vfs_getattr_nosec(struct path *path, struct kstat *stat);
diff --git a/include/linux/namei.h b/include/linux/namei.h
index c8990779f0c3..2ec27f2457d6 100644
--- a/include/linux/namei.h
+++ b/include/linux/namei.h
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ extern void unlock_rename(struct dentry *, struct dentry *);
 
 extern void nd_jump_link(struct nameidata *nd, struct path *path);
 extern void nd_set_link(struct nameidata *nd, char *path);
-extern char *nd_get_link(struct nameidata *nd);
 
 static inline void nd_terminate_link(void *name, size_t len, size_t maxlen)
 {
diff --git a/mm/shmem.c b/mm/shmem.c
index cf2d0ca010bc..53bf4d160e8b 100644
--- a/mm/shmem.c
+++ b/mm/shmem.c
@@ -2490,9 +2490,9 @@ static void *shmem_follow_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 	return page;
 }
 
-static void shmem_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd, void *cookie)
+static void shmem_put_link(struct dentry *dentry, char *link, void *cookie)
 {
-	if (!IS_ERR(nd_get_link(nd))) {
+	if (!IS_ERR(link)) {
 		struct page *page = cookie;
 		kunmap(page);
 		mark_page_accessed(page);
