diff --git a/ipc/sem.c b/ipc/sem.c
index 4321fa4..d73b3ef 100644
--- a/ipc/sem.c
+++ b/ipc/sem.c
@@ -47,8 +47,7 @@
  *   Thus: Perfect SMP scaling between independent semaphore arrays.
  *         If multiple semaphores in one array are used, then cache line
  *         trashing on the semaphore array spinlock will limit the scaling.
- * - semncnt and semzcnt are calculated on demand in count_semncnt() and
- *   count_semzcnt()
+ * - semncnt and semzcnt are calculated on demand in count_semcnt()
  * - the task that performs a successful semop() scans the list of all
  *   sleeping tasks and completes any pending operations that can be fulfilled.
  *   Semaphores are actively given to waiting tasks (necessary for FIFO).
@@ -989,6 +988,31 @@
 		set_semotime(sma, sops);
 }
 
+/*
+ * check_qop: Test how often a queued operation sleeps on the semaphore semnum
+ */
+static int check_qop(struct sem_array *sma, int semnum, struct sem_queue *q,
+			bool count_zero)
+{
+	struct sembuf *sops = q->sops;
+	int nsops = q->nsops;
+	int i, semcnt;
+
+	semcnt = 0;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < nsops; i++) {
+		if (sops[i].sem_num != semnum)
+			continue;
+		if (sops[i].sem_flg & IPC_NOWAIT)
+			continue;
+		if (count_zero && sops[i].sem_op == 0)
+			semcnt++;
+		if (!count_zero && sops[i].sem_op < 0)
+			semcnt++;
+	}
+	return semcnt;
+}
+
 /* The following counts are associated to each semaphore:
  *   semncnt        number of tasks waiting on semval being nonzero
  *   semzcnt        number of tasks waiting on semval being zero
@@ -998,66 +1022,37 @@
  * The counts we return here are a rough approximation, but still
  * warrant that semncnt+semzcnt>0 if the task is on the pending queue.
  */
-static int count_semncnt(struct sem_array *sma, ushort semnum)
+static int count_semcnt(struct sem_array *sma, ushort semnum,
+			bool count_zero)
 {
-	int semncnt;
+	struct list_head *l;
 	struct sem_queue *q;
+	int semcnt;
 
-	semncnt = 0;
-	list_for_each_entry(q, &sma->sem_base[semnum].pending_alter, list) {
-		struct sembuf *sops = q->sops;
-		BUG_ON(sops->sem_num != semnum);
-		if ((sops->sem_op < 0) && !(sops->sem_flg & IPC_NOWAIT))
-			semncnt++;
+	semcnt = 0;
+	/* First: check the simple operations. They are easy to evaluate */
+	if (count_zero)
+		l = &sma->sem_base[semnum].pending_const;
+	else
+		l = &sma->sem_base[semnum].pending_alter;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(q, l, list) {
+		/* all task on a per-semaphore list sleep on exactly
+		 * that semaphore
+		 */
+		semcnt++;
 	}
 
+	/* Then: check the complex operations. */
 	list_for_each_entry(q, &sma->pending_alter, list) {
-		struct sembuf *sops = q->sops;
-		int nsops = q->nsops;
-		int i;
-		for (i = 0; i < nsops; i++)
-			if (sops[i].sem_num == semnum
-			    && (sops[i].sem_op < 0)
-			    && !(sops[i].sem_flg & IPC_NOWAIT))
-				semncnt++;
+		semcnt += check_qop(sma, semnum, q, count_zero);
 	}
-	return semncnt;
-}
-
-static int count_semzcnt(struct sem_array *sma, ushort semnum)
-{
-	int semzcnt;
-	struct sem_queue *q;
-
-	semzcnt = 0;
-	list_for_each_entry(q, &sma->sem_base[semnum].pending_const, list) {
-		struct sembuf *sops = q->sops;
-		BUG_ON(sops->sem_num != semnum);
-		if ((sops->sem_op == 0) && !(sops->sem_flg & IPC_NOWAIT))
-			semzcnt++;
+	if (count_zero) {
+		list_for_each_entry(q, &sma->pending_const, list) {
+			semcnt += check_qop(sma, semnum, q, count_zero);
+		}
 	}
-
-	list_for_each_entry(q, &sma->pending_const, list) {
-		struct sembuf *sops = q->sops;
-		int nsops = q->nsops;
-		int i;
-		for (i = 0; i < nsops; i++)
-			if (sops[i].sem_num == semnum
-			    && (sops[i].sem_op == 0)
-			    && !(sops[i].sem_flg & IPC_NOWAIT))
-				semzcnt++;
-	}
-	list_for_each_entry(q, &sma->pending_alter, list) {
-		struct sembuf *sops = q->sops;
-		int nsops = q->nsops;
-		int i;
-		for (i = 0; i < nsops; i++)
-			if (sops[i].sem_num == semnum
-			    && (sops[i].sem_op == 0)
-			    && !(sops[i].sem_flg & IPC_NOWAIT))
-				semzcnt++;
-	}
-	return semzcnt;
+	return semcnt;
 }
 
 /* Free a semaphore set. freeary() is called with sem_ids.rwsem locked
@@ -1459,10 +1454,10 @@
 		err = curr->sempid;
 		goto out_unlock;
 	case GETNCNT:
-		err = count_semncnt(sma, semnum);
+		err = count_semcnt(sma, semnum, 0);
 		goto out_unlock;
 	case GETZCNT:
-		err = count_semzcnt(sma, semnum);
+		err = count_semcnt(sma, semnum, 1);
 		goto out_unlock;
 	}