diff --git a/drivers/usb/core/inode.c b/drivers/usb/core/inode.c
index e47e3a8..cf11196 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/core/inode.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/core/inode.c
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@
 	if (!root)
 		return;
 
-	mutex_lock(&root->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	mutex_lock_nested(&root->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 
 	list_for_each_entry(bus, &root->d_subdirs, d_u.d_child) {
 		if (bus->d_inode) {
diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index c784e8b..c9750d7 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -1423,7 +1423,7 @@
 	struct dentry *p;
 
 	if (p1 == p2) {
-		mutex_lock(&p1->d_inode->i_mutex);
+		mutex_lock_nested(&p1->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -1431,22 +1431,22 @@
 
 	for (p = p1; p->d_parent != p; p = p->d_parent) {
 		if (p->d_parent == p2) {
-			mutex_lock(&p2->d_inode->i_mutex);
-			mutex_lock(&p1->d_inode->i_mutex);
+			mutex_lock_nested(&p2->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
+			mutex_lock_nested(&p1->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_CHILD);
 			return p;
 		}
 	}
 
 	for (p = p2; p->d_parent != p; p = p->d_parent) {
 		if (p->d_parent == p1) {
-			mutex_lock(&p1->d_inode->i_mutex);
-			mutex_lock(&p2->d_inode->i_mutex);
+			mutex_lock_nested(&p1->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
+			mutex_lock_nested(&p2->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_CHILD);
 			return p;
 		}
 	}
 
-	mutex_lock(&p1->d_inode->i_mutex);
-	mutex_lock(&p2->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	mutex_lock_nested(&p1->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
+	mutex_lock_nested(&p2->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_CHILD);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -1751,7 +1751,7 @@
 {
 	struct dentry *dentry = ERR_PTR(-EEXIST);
 
-	mutex_lock(&nd->dentry->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	mutex_lock_nested(&nd->dentry->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 	/*
 	 * Yucky last component or no last component at all?
 	 * (foo/., foo/.., /////)
@@ -2008,7 +2008,7 @@
 			error = -EBUSY;
 			goto exit1;
 	}
-	mutex_lock(&nd.dentry->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	mutex_lock_nested(&nd.dentry->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 	dentry = lookup_hash(&nd);
 	error = PTR_ERR(dentry);
 	if (!IS_ERR(dentry)) {
@@ -2082,7 +2082,7 @@
 	error = -EISDIR;
 	if (nd.last_type != LAST_NORM)
 		goto exit1;
-	mutex_lock(&nd.dentry->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	mutex_lock_nested(&nd.dentry->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 	dentry = lookup_hash(&nd);
 	error = PTR_ERR(dentry);
 	if (!IS_ERR(dentry)) {
diff --git a/include/linux/fs.h b/include/linux/fs.h
index e04a5cf..05ded9e 100644
--- a/include/linux/fs.h
+++ b/include/linux/fs.h
@@ -543,6 +543,25 @@
 };
 
 /*
+ * inode->i_mutex nesting subclasses for the lock validator:
+ *
+ * 0: the object of the current VFS operation
+ * 1: parent
+ * 2: child/target
+ * 3: quota file
+ *
+ * The locking order between these classes is
+ * parent -> child -> normal -> quota
+ */
+enum inode_i_mutex_lock_class
+{
+	I_MUTEX_NORMAL,
+	I_MUTEX_PARENT,
+	I_MUTEX_CHILD,
+	I_MUTEX_QUOTA
+};
+
+/*
  * NOTE: in a 32bit arch with a preemptable kernel and
  * an UP compile the i_size_read/write must be atomic
  * with respect to the local cpu (unlike with preempt disabled),