diff --git a/fs/sysfs/file.c b/fs/sysfs/file.c
index 1bafdf6..fc46333 100644
--- a/fs/sysfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/sysfs/file.c
@@ -168,12 +168,12 @@
 	ssize_t retval = 0;
 
 	down(&buffer->sem);
-	if (buffer->orphaned) {
-		retval = -ENODEV;
-		goto out;
-	}
 	if (buffer->needs_read_fill) {
-		if ((retval = fill_read_buffer(file->f_path.dentry,buffer)))
+		if (buffer->orphaned)
+			retval = -ENODEV;
+		else
+			retval = fill_read_buffer(file->f_path.dentry,buffer);
+		if (retval)
 			goto out;
 	}
 	pr_debug("%s: count = %zd, ppos = %lld, buf = %s\n",
diff --git a/fs/sysfs/inode.c b/fs/sysfs/inode.c
index ccb7d72..4de5c6b 100644
--- a/fs/sysfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/sysfs/inode.c
@@ -222,13 +222,17 @@
 
 static inline void orphan_all_buffers(struct inode *node)
 {
-	struct sysfs_buffer_collection *set = node->i_private;
+	struct sysfs_buffer_collection *set;
 	struct sysfs_buffer *buf;
 
 	mutex_lock_nested(&node->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_CHILD);
-	if (node->i_private) {
-		list_for_each_entry(buf, &set->associates, associates)
+	set = node->i_private;
+	if (set) {
+		list_for_each_entry(buf, &set->associates, associates) {
+			down(&buf->sem);
 			buf->orphaned = 1;
+			up(&buf->sem);
+		}
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&node->i_mutex);
 }