diff --git a/fs/jbd/journal.c b/fs/jbd/journal.c
index e79c078..737f724 100644
--- a/fs/jbd/journal.c
+++ b/fs/jbd/journal.c
@@ -637,6 +637,8 @@
 		return NULL;
 
 	bh = __getblk(journal->j_dev, blocknr, journal->j_blocksize);
+	if (!bh)
+		return NULL;
 	lock_buffer(bh);
 	memset(bh->b_data, 0, journal->j_blocksize);
 	set_buffer_uptodate(bh);
@@ -733,9 +735,7 @@
 	if (!journal->j_wbuf) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Cant allocate bhs for commit thread\n",
 			__func__);
-		kfree(journal);
-		journal = NULL;
-		goto out;
+		goto out_err;
 	}
 	journal->j_dev = bdev;
 	journal->j_fs_dev = fs_dev;
@@ -743,11 +743,19 @@
 	journal->j_maxlen = len;
 
 	bh = __getblk(journal->j_dev, start, journal->j_blocksize);
-	J_ASSERT(bh != NULL);
+	if (!bh) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR
+		       "%s: Cannot get buffer for journal superblock\n",
+		       __func__);
+		goto out_err;
+	}
 	journal->j_sb_buffer = bh;
 	journal->j_superblock = (journal_superblock_t *)bh->b_data;
-out:
+
 	return journal;
+out_err:
+	kfree(journal);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -787,8 +795,7 @@
 	if (!journal->j_wbuf) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Cant allocate bhs for commit thread\n",
 			__func__);
-		kfree(journal);
-		return NULL;
+		goto out_err;
 	}
 
 	err = journal_bmap(journal, 0, &blocknr);
@@ -796,16 +803,23 @@
 	if (err) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Cannnot locate journal superblock\n",
 		       __func__);
-		kfree(journal);
-		return NULL;
+		goto out_err;
 	}
 
 	bh = __getblk(journal->j_dev, blocknr, journal->j_blocksize);
-	J_ASSERT(bh != NULL);
+	if (!bh) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR
+		       "%s: Cannot get buffer for journal superblock\n",
+		       __func__);
+		goto out_err;
+	}
 	journal->j_sb_buffer = bh;
 	journal->j_superblock = (journal_superblock_t *)bh->b_data;
 
 	return journal;
+out_err:
+	kfree(journal);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /*