diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
index ad41c6d0113ce..6ed1ab8a7e522 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.c
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ xfs_defer_cancel_list(
  * done item to release the intent item; and then log a new intent item.
  * The caller should provide a fresh transaction and roll it after we're done.
  */
-static int
+static void
 xfs_defer_relog(
 	struct xfs_trans		**tpp,
 	struct list_head		*dfops)
@@ -451,10 +451,6 @@ xfs_defer_relog(
 		XFS_STATS_INC((*tpp)->t_mountp, defer_relog);
 		dfp->dfp_intent = xfs_trans_item_relog(dfp->dfp_intent, *tpp);
 	}
-
-	if ((*tpp)->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_DIRTY)
-		return xfs_defer_trans_roll(tpp);
-	return 0;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -510,6 +506,24 @@ xfs_defer_finish_one(
 	return error;
 }
 
+/* Move all paused deferred work from @tp to @paused_list. */
+static void
+xfs_defer_isolate_paused(
+	struct xfs_trans		*tp,
+	struct list_head		*paused_list)
+{
+	struct xfs_defer_pending	*dfp;
+	struct xfs_defer_pending	*pli;
+
+	list_for_each_entry_safe(dfp, pli, &tp->t_dfops, dfp_list) {
+		if (!(dfp->dfp_flags & XFS_DEFER_PAUSED))
+			continue;
+
+		list_move_tail(&dfp->dfp_list, paused_list);
+		trace_xfs_defer_isolate_paused(tp->t_mountp, dfp);
+	}
+}
+
 /*
  * Finish all the pending work.  This involves logging intent items for
  * any work items that wandered in since the last transaction roll (if
@@ -525,6 +539,7 @@ xfs_defer_finish_noroll(
 	struct xfs_defer_pending	*dfp = NULL;
 	int				error = 0;
 	LIST_HEAD(dop_pending);
+	LIST_HEAD(dop_paused);
 
 	ASSERT((*tp)->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_PERM_LOG_RES);
 
@@ -543,6 +558,8 @@ xfs_defer_finish_noroll(
 		 */
 		int has_intents = xfs_defer_create_intents(*tp);
 
+		xfs_defer_isolate_paused(*tp, &dop_paused);
+
 		list_splice_init(&(*tp)->t_dfops, &dop_pending);
 
 		if (has_intents < 0) {
@@ -555,22 +572,33 @@ xfs_defer_finish_noroll(
 				goto out_shutdown;
 
 			/* Relog intent items to keep the log moving. */
-			error = xfs_defer_relog(tp, &dop_pending);
-			if (error)
-				goto out_shutdown;
+			xfs_defer_relog(tp, &dop_pending);
+			xfs_defer_relog(tp, &dop_paused);
+
+			if ((*tp)->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_DIRTY) {
+				error = xfs_defer_trans_roll(tp);
+				if (error)
+					goto out_shutdown;
+			}
 		}
 
-		dfp = list_first_entry(&dop_pending, struct xfs_defer_pending,
-				       dfp_list);
+		dfp = list_first_entry_or_null(&dop_pending,
+				struct xfs_defer_pending, dfp_list);
+		if (!dfp)
+			break;
 		error = xfs_defer_finish_one(*tp, dfp);
 		if (error && error != -EAGAIN)
 			goto out_shutdown;
 	}
 
+	/* Requeue the paused items in the outgoing transaction. */
+	list_splice_tail_init(&dop_paused, &(*tp)->t_dfops);
+
 	trace_xfs_defer_finish_done(*tp, _RET_IP_);
 	return 0;
 
 out_shutdown:
+	list_splice_tail_init(&dop_paused, &dop_pending);
 	xfs_defer_trans_abort(*tp, &dop_pending);
 	xfs_force_shutdown((*tp)->t_mountp, SHUTDOWN_CORRUPT_INCORE);
 	trace_xfs_defer_finish_error(*tp, error);
@@ -583,6 +611,9 @@ int
 xfs_defer_finish(
 	struct xfs_trans	**tp)
 {
+#ifdef DEBUG
+	struct xfs_defer_pending *dfp;
+#endif
 	int			error;
 
 	/*
@@ -602,7 +633,10 @@ xfs_defer_finish(
 	}
 
 	/* Reset LOWMODE now that we've finished all the dfops. */
-	ASSERT(list_empty(&(*tp)->t_dfops));
+#ifdef DEBUG
+	list_for_each_entry(dfp, &(*tp)->t_dfops, dfp_list)
+		ASSERT(dfp->dfp_flags & XFS_DEFER_PAUSED);
+#endif
 	(*tp)->t_flags &= ~XFS_TRANS_LOWMODE;
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -614,6 +648,7 @@ xfs_defer_cancel(
 	struct xfs_mount	*mp = tp->t_mountp;
 
 	trace_xfs_defer_cancel(tp, _RET_IP_);
+	xfs_defer_trans_abort(tp, &tp->t_dfops);
 	xfs_defer_cancel_list(mp, &tp->t_dfops);
 }
 
@@ -644,6 +679,10 @@ xfs_defer_try_append(
 	if (dfp->dfp_intent)
 		return NULL;
 
+	/* Paused items cannot absorb more work */
+	if (dfp->dfp_flags & XFS_DEFER_PAUSED)
+		return NULL;
+
 	/* Already full? */
 	if (ops->max_items && dfp->dfp_count >= ops->max_items)
 		return NULL;
@@ -652,7 +691,7 @@ xfs_defer_try_append(
 }
 
 /* Add an item for later deferred processing. */
-void
+struct xfs_defer_pending *
 xfs_defer_add(
 	struct xfs_trans		*tp,
 	enum xfs_defer_ops_type		type,
@@ -680,6 +719,8 @@ xfs_defer_add(
 	list_add_tail(li, &dfp->dfp_work);
 	trace_xfs_defer_add_item(tp->t_mountp, dfp, li);
 	dfp->dfp_count++;
+
+	return dfp;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -954,3 +995,36 @@ xfs_defer_destroy_item_caches(void)
 	xfs_rmap_intent_destroy_cache();
 	xfs_defer_destroy_cache();
 }
+
+/*
+ * Mark a deferred work item so that it will be requeued indefinitely without
+ * being finished.  Caller must ensure there are no data dependencies on this
+ * work item in the meantime.
+ */
+void
+xfs_defer_item_pause(
+	struct xfs_trans		*tp,
+	struct xfs_defer_pending	*dfp)
+{
+	ASSERT(!(dfp->dfp_flags & XFS_DEFER_PAUSED));
+
+	dfp->dfp_flags |= XFS_DEFER_PAUSED;
+
+	trace_xfs_defer_item_pause(tp->t_mountp, dfp);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Release a paused deferred work item so that it will be finished during the
+ * next transaction roll.
+ */
+void
+xfs_defer_item_unpause(
+	struct xfs_trans		*tp,
+	struct xfs_defer_pending	*dfp)
+{
+	ASSERT(dfp->dfp_flags & XFS_DEFER_PAUSED);
+
+	dfp->dfp_flags &= ~XFS_DEFER_PAUSED;
+
+	trace_xfs_defer_item_unpause(tp->t_mountp, dfp);
+}
diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.h b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.h
index 114a3a4930a3c..7fb4f60e5e4c5 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_defer.h
@@ -34,11 +34,24 @@ struct xfs_defer_pending {
 	struct xfs_log_item		*dfp_intent;	/* log intent item */
 	struct xfs_log_item		*dfp_done;	/* log done item */
 	unsigned int			dfp_count;	/* # extent items */
+	unsigned int			dfp_flags;
 	enum xfs_defer_ops_type		dfp_type;
 };
 
-void xfs_defer_add(struct xfs_trans *tp, enum xfs_defer_ops_type type,
-		struct list_head *h);
+/*
+ * Create a log intent item for this deferred item, but don't actually finish
+ * the work.  Caller must clear this before the final transaction commit.
+ */
+#define XFS_DEFER_PAUSED	(1U << 0)
+
+#define XFS_DEFER_PENDING_STRINGS \
+	{ XFS_DEFER_PAUSED,	"paused" }
+
+void xfs_defer_item_pause(struct xfs_trans *tp, struct xfs_defer_pending *dfp);
+void xfs_defer_item_unpause(struct xfs_trans *tp, struct xfs_defer_pending *dfp);
+
+struct xfs_defer_pending *xfs_defer_add(struct xfs_trans *tp,
+		enum xfs_defer_ops_type type, struct list_head *h);
 int xfs_defer_finish_noroll(struct xfs_trans **tp);
 int xfs_defer_finish(struct xfs_trans **tp);
 void xfs_defer_cancel(struct xfs_trans *);
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_trace.h b/fs/xfs/xfs_trace.h
index 3926cf7f2a6ed..514095b6ba2bd 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_trace.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_trace.h
@@ -2551,6 +2551,7 @@ DECLARE_EVENT_CLASS(xfs_defer_pending_class,
 		__field(dev_t, dev)
 		__field(int, type)
 		__field(void *, intent)
+		__field(unsigned int, flags)
 		__field(char, committed)
 		__field(int, nr)
 	),
@@ -2558,13 +2559,15 @@ DECLARE_EVENT_CLASS(xfs_defer_pending_class,
 		__entry->dev = mp ? mp->m_super->s_dev : 0;
 		__entry->type = dfp->dfp_type;
 		__entry->intent = dfp->dfp_intent;
+		__entry->flags = dfp->dfp_flags;
 		__entry->committed = dfp->dfp_done != NULL;
 		__entry->nr = dfp->dfp_count;
 	),
-	TP_printk("dev %d:%d optype %d intent %p committed %d nr %d",
+	TP_printk("dev %d:%d optype %d intent %p flags %s committed %d nr %d",
 		  MAJOR(__entry->dev), MINOR(__entry->dev),
 		  __entry->type,
 		  __entry->intent,
+		  __print_flags(__entry->flags, "|", XFS_DEFER_PENDING_STRINGS),
 		  __entry->committed,
 		  __entry->nr)
 )
@@ -2675,6 +2678,9 @@ DEFINE_DEFER_PENDING_EVENT(xfs_defer_cancel_list);
 DEFINE_DEFER_PENDING_EVENT(xfs_defer_pending_finish);
 DEFINE_DEFER_PENDING_EVENT(xfs_defer_pending_abort);
 DEFINE_DEFER_PENDING_EVENT(xfs_defer_relog_intent);
+DEFINE_DEFER_PENDING_EVENT(xfs_defer_isolate_paused);
+DEFINE_DEFER_PENDING_EVENT(xfs_defer_item_pause);
+DEFINE_DEFER_PENDING_EVENT(xfs_defer_item_unpause);
 
 #define DEFINE_BMAP_FREE_DEFERRED_EVENT DEFINE_PHYS_EXTENT_DEFERRED_EVENT
 DEFINE_BMAP_FREE_DEFERRED_EVENT(xfs_bmap_free_defer);
@@ -2692,6 +2698,7 @@ DECLARE_EVENT_CLASS(xfs_defer_pending_item_class,
 		__field(void *, intent)
 		__field(void *, item)
 		__field(char, committed)
+		__field(unsigned int, flags)
 		__field(int, nr)
 	),
 	TP_fast_assign(
@@ -2700,13 +2707,15 @@ DECLARE_EVENT_CLASS(xfs_defer_pending_item_class,
 		__entry->intent = dfp->dfp_intent;
 		__entry->item = item;
 		__entry->committed = dfp->dfp_done != NULL;
+		__entry->flags = dfp->dfp_flags;
 		__entry->nr = dfp->dfp_count;
 	),
-	TP_printk("dev %d:%d optype %d intent %p item %p committed %d nr %d",
+	TP_printk("dev %d:%d optype %d intent %p item %p flags %s committed %d nr %d",
 		  MAJOR(__entry->dev), MINOR(__entry->dev),
 		  __entry->type,
 		  __entry->intent,
 		  __entry->item,
+		  __print_flags(__entry->flags, "|", XFS_DEFER_PENDING_STRINGS),
 		  __entry->committed,
 		  __entry->nr)
 )
