diff --git a/security/apparmor/context.c b/security/apparmor/context.c
index d5af1d15f26d..3064c6ced87c 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/context.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/context.c
@@ -112,9 +112,9 @@ int aa_replace_current_profile(struct aa_profile *profile)
 		aa_clear_task_cxt_trans(cxt);
 
 	/* be careful switching cxt->profile, when racing replacement it
-	 * is possible that cxt->profile->replacedby is the reference keeping
-	 * @profile valid, so make sure to get its reference before dropping
-	 * the reference on cxt->profile */
+	 * is possible that cxt->profile->replacedby->profile is the reference
+	 * keeping @profile valid, so make sure to get its reference before
+	 * dropping the reference on cxt->profile */
 	aa_get_profile(profile);
 	aa_put_profile(cxt->profile);
 	cxt->profile = profile;
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ int aa_set_current_hat(struct aa_profile *profile, u64 token)
 		abort_creds(new);
 		return -EACCES;
 	}
-	cxt->profile = aa_get_profile(aa_newest_version(profile));
+	cxt->profile = aa_get_newest_profile(profile);
 	/* clear exec on switching context */
 	aa_put_profile(cxt->onexec);
 	cxt->onexec = NULL;
@@ -212,14 +212,8 @@ int aa_restore_previous_profile(u64 token)
 	}
 
 	aa_put_profile(cxt->profile);
-	cxt->profile = aa_newest_version(cxt->previous);
+	cxt->profile = aa_get_newest_profile(cxt->previous);
 	BUG_ON(!cxt->profile);
-	if (unlikely(cxt->profile != cxt->previous)) {
-		aa_get_profile(cxt->profile);
-		aa_put_profile(cxt->previous);
-	}
-	/* ref has been transfered so avoid putting ref in clear_task_cxt */
-	cxt->previous = NULL;
 	/* clear exec && prev information when restoring to previous context */
 	aa_clear_task_cxt_trans(cxt);
 
diff --git a/security/apparmor/domain.c b/security/apparmor/domain.c
index 454bcd7f3452..5488d095af6f 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/domain.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/domain.c
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ int apparmor_bprm_set_creds(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 	cxt = cred_cxt(bprm->cred);
 	BUG_ON(!cxt);
 
-	profile = aa_get_profile(aa_newest_version(cxt->profile));
+	profile = aa_get_newest_profile(cxt->profile);
 	/*
 	 * get the namespace from the replacement profile as replacement
 	 * can change the namespace
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ int apparmor_bprm_set_creds(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 
 		if (!(cp.allow & AA_MAY_ONEXEC))
 			goto audit;
-		new_profile = aa_get_profile(aa_newest_version(cxt->onexec));
+		new_profile = aa_get_newest_profile(cxt->onexec);
 		goto apply;
 	}
 
diff --git a/security/apparmor/include/context.h b/security/apparmor/include/context.h
index d44ba5802e3d..6bf65798e5d1 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/include/context.h
+++ b/security/apparmor/include/context.h
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ static inline struct aa_profile *aa_cred_profile(const struct cred *cred)
 {
 	struct aa_task_cxt *cxt = cred_cxt(cred);
 	BUG_ON(!cxt || !cxt->profile);
-	return aa_newest_version(cxt->profile);
+	return cxt->profile;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -152,15 +152,14 @@ static inline struct aa_profile *aa_current_profile(void)
 	struct aa_profile *profile;
 	BUG_ON(!cxt || !cxt->profile);
 
-	profile = aa_newest_version(cxt->profile);
-	/*
-	 * Whether or not replacement succeeds, use newest profile so
-	 * there is no need to update it after replacement.
-	 */
-	if (unlikely((cxt->profile != profile)))
+	if (PROFILE_INVALID(cxt->profile)) {
+		profile = aa_get_newest_profile(cxt->profile);
 		aa_replace_current_profile(profile);
+		aa_put_profile(profile);
+		cxt = current_cxt();
+	}
 
-	return profile;
+	return cxt->profile;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/security/apparmor/include/policy.h b/security/apparmor/include/policy.h
index 82487a853353..e9f2baf4467e 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/include/policy.h
+++ b/security/apparmor/include/policy.h
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ extern const char *const profile_mode_names[];
 
 #define PROFILE_IS_HAT(_profile) ((_profile)->flags & PFLAG_HAT)
 
+#define PROFILE_INVALID(_profile) ((_profile)->flags & PFLAG_INVALID)
+
 #define on_list_rcu(X) (!list_empty(X) && (X)->prev != LIST_POISON2)
 
 /*
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ enum profile_flags {
 	PFLAG_USER_DEFINED = 0x20,	/* user based profile - lower privs */
 	PFLAG_NO_LIST_REF = 0x40,	/* list doesn't keep profile ref */
 	PFLAG_OLD_NULL_TRANS = 0x100,	/* use // as the null transition */
+	PFLAG_INVALID = 0x200,		/* profile replaced/removed */
 
 	/* These flags must correspond with PATH_flags */
 	PFLAG_MEDIATE_DELETED = 0x10000, /* mediate instead delegate deleted */
@@ -146,6 +149,12 @@ struct aa_policydb {
 
 };
 
+struct aa_replacedby {
+	struct kref count;
+	struct aa_profile __rcu *profile;
+};
+
+
 /* struct aa_profile - basic confinement data
  * @base - base components of the profile (name, refcount, lists, lock ...)
  * @parent: parent of profile
@@ -169,8 +178,7 @@ struct aa_policydb {
  * used to determine profile attachment against unconfined tasks.  All other
  * attachments are determined by profile X transition rules.
  *
- * The @replacedby field is write protected by the profile lock.  Reads
- * are assumed to be atomic.
+ * The @replacedby struct is write protected by the profile lock.
  *
  * Profiles have a hierarchy where hats and children profiles keep
  * a reference to their parent.
@@ -184,14 +192,14 @@ struct aa_profile {
 	struct aa_profile __rcu *parent;
 
 	struct aa_namespace *ns;
-	struct aa_profile *replacedby;
+	struct aa_replacedby *replacedby;
 	const char *rename;
 
 	struct aa_dfa *xmatch;
 	int xmatch_len;
 	enum audit_mode audit;
 	enum profile_mode mode;
-	u32 flags;
+	long flags;
 	u32 path_flags;
 	int size;
 
@@ -250,6 +258,7 @@ static inline void aa_put_namespace(struct aa_namespace *ns)
 		kref_put(&ns->base.count, aa_free_namespace_kref);
 }
 
+void aa_free_replacedby_kref(struct kref *kref);
 struct aa_profile *aa_alloc_profile(const char *name);
 struct aa_profile *aa_new_null_profile(struct aa_profile *parent, int hat);
 void aa_free_profile_kref(struct kref *kref);
@@ -265,24 +274,6 @@ ssize_t aa_remove_profiles(char *name, size_t size);
 
 #define unconfined(X) ((X)->flags & PFLAG_UNCONFINED)
 
-/**
- * aa_newest_version - find the newest version of @profile
- * @profile: the profile to check for newer versions of (NOT NULL)
- *
- * Returns: newest version of @profile, if @profile is the newest version
- *          return @profile.
- *
- * NOTE: the profile returned is not refcounted, The refcount on @profile
- * must be held until the caller decides what to do with the returned newest
- * version.
- */
-static inline struct aa_profile *aa_newest_version(struct aa_profile *profile)
-{
-	while (profile->replacedby)
-		profile = profile->replacedby;
-
-	return profile;
-}
 
 /**
  * aa_get_profile - increment refcount on profile @p
@@ -334,6 +325,25 @@ static inline struct aa_profile *aa_get_profile_rcu(struct aa_profile __rcu **p)
 	return c;
 }
 
+/**
+ * aa_get_newest_profile - find the newest version of @profile
+ * @profile: the profile to check for newer versions of
+ *
+ * Returns: refcounted newest version of @profile taking into account
+ *          replacement, renames and removals
+ *          return @profile.
+ */
+static inline struct aa_profile *aa_get_newest_profile(struct aa_profile *p)
+{
+	if (!p)
+		return NULL;
+
+	if (PROFILE_INVALID(p))
+		return aa_get_profile_rcu(&p->replacedby->profile);
+
+	return aa_get_profile(p);
+}
+
 /**
  * aa_put_profile - decrement refcount on profile @p
  * @p: profile  (MAYBE NULL)
@@ -344,6 +354,30 @@ static inline void aa_put_profile(struct aa_profile *p)
 		kref_put(&p->base.count, aa_free_profile_kref);
 }
 
+static inline struct aa_replacedby *aa_get_replacedby(struct aa_replacedby *p)
+{
+	if (p)
+		kref_get(&(p->count));
+
+	return p;
+}
+
+static inline void aa_put_replacedby(struct aa_replacedby *p)
+{
+	if (p)
+		kref_put(&p->count, aa_free_replacedby_kref);
+}
+
+/* requires profile list write lock held */
+static inline void __aa_update_replacedby(struct aa_profile *orig,
+					  struct aa_profile *new)
+{
+	struct aa_profile *tmp = rcu_dereference(orig->replacedby->profile);
+	rcu_assign_pointer(orig->replacedby->profile, aa_get_profile(new));
+	orig->flags |= PFLAG_INVALID;
+	aa_put_profile(tmp);
+}
+
 static inline int AUDIT_MODE(struct aa_profile *profile)
 {
 	if (aa_g_audit != AUDIT_NORMAL)
diff --git a/security/apparmor/lsm.c b/security/apparmor/lsm.c
index 96506dfe51ec..c8c148a738f7 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/lsm.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/lsm.c
@@ -508,19 +508,21 @@ static int apparmor_getprocattr(struct task_struct *task, char *name,
 	/* released below */
 	const struct cred *cred = get_task_cred(task);
 	struct aa_task_cxt *cxt = cred_cxt(cred);
+	struct aa_profile *profile = NULL;
 
 	if (strcmp(name, "current") == 0)
-		error = aa_getprocattr(aa_newest_version(cxt->profile),
-				       value);
+		profile = aa_get_newest_profile(cxt->profile);
 	else if (strcmp(name, "prev") == 0  && cxt->previous)
-		error = aa_getprocattr(aa_newest_version(cxt->previous),
-				       value);
+		profile = aa_get_newest_profile(cxt->previous);
 	else if (strcmp(name, "exec") == 0 && cxt->onexec)
-		error = aa_getprocattr(aa_newest_version(cxt->onexec),
-				       value);
+		profile = aa_get_newest_profile(cxt->onexec);
 	else
 		error = -EINVAL;
 
+	if (profile)
+		error = aa_getprocattr(profile, value);
+
+	aa_put_profile(profile);
 	put_cred(cred);
 
 	return error;
diff --git a/security/apparmor/policy.c b/security/apparmor/policy.c
index 25bbbb482bb6..41b8f275c626 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/policy.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/policy.c
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ static void __remove_profile(struct aa_profile *profile)
 	/* release any children lists first */
 	__profile_list_release(&profile->base.profiles);
 	/* released by free_profile */
-	profile->replacedby = aa_get_profile(profile->ns->unconfined);
+	__aa_update_replacedby(profile, profile->ns->unconfined);
 	__list_remove_profile(profile);
 }
 
@@ -588,6 +588,23 @@ void __init aa_free_root_ns(void)
 	 aa_put_namespace(ns);
 }
 
+
+static void free_replacedby(struct aa_replacedby *r)
+{
+	if (r) {
+		aa_put_profile(rcu_dereference(r->profile));
+		kzfree(r);
+	}
+}
+
+
+void aa_free_replacedby_kref(struct kref *kref)
+{
+	struct aa_replacedby *r = container_of(kref, struct aa_replacedby,
+					       count);
+	free_replacedby(r);
+}
+
 /**
  * free_profile - free a profile
  * @profile: the profile to free  (MAYBE NULL)
@@ -600,8 +617,6 @@ void __init aa_free_root_ns(void)
  */
 static void free_profile(struct aa_profile *profile)
 {
-	struct aa_profile *p;
-
 	AA_DEBUG("%s(%p)\n", __func__, profile);
 
 	if (!profile)
@@ -620,28 +635,7 @@ static void free_profile(struct aa_profile *profile)
 
 	aa_put_dfa(profile->xmatch);
 	aa_put_dfa(profile->policy.dfa);
-
-	/* put the profile reference for replacedby, but not via
-	 * put_profile(kref_put).
-	 * replacedby can form a long chain that can result in cascading
-	 * frees that blows the stack because kref_put makes a nested fn
-	 * call (it looks like recursion, with free_profile calling
-	 * free_profile) for each profile in the chain lp#1056078.
-	 */
-	for (p = profile->replacedby; p; ) {
-		if (atomic_dec_and_test(&p->base.count.refcount)) {
-			/* no more refs on p, grab its replacedby */
-			struct aa_profile *next = p->replacedby;
-			/* break the chain */
-			p->replacedby = NULL;
-			/* now free p, chain is broken */
-			free_profile(p);
-
-			/* follow up with next profile in the chain */
-			p = next;
-		} else
-			break;
-	}
+	aa_put_replacedby(profile->replacedby);
 
 	kzfree(profile);
 }
@@ -682,13 +676,22 @@ struct aa_profile *aa_alloc_profile(const char *hname)
 	if (!profile)
 		return NULL;
 
-	if (!policy_init(&profile->base, NULL, hname)) {
-		kzfree(profile);
-		return NULL;
-	}
+	profile->replacedby = kzalloc(sizeof(struct aa_replacedby), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!profile->replacedby)
+		goto fail;
+	kref_init(&profile->replacedby->count);
+
+	if (!policy_init(&profile->base, NULL, hname))
+		goto fail;
 
 	/* refcount released by caller */
 	return profile;
+
+fail:
+	kzfree(profile->replacedby);
+	kzfree(profile);
+
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -985,6 +988,7 @@ static struct aa_profile *__list_lookup_parent(struct list_head *lh,
  * __replace_profile - replace @old with @new on a list
  * @old: profile to be replaced  (NOT NULL)
  * @new: profile to replace @old with  (NOT NULL)
+ * @share_replacedby: transfer @old->replacedby to @new
  *
  * Will duplicate and refcount elements that @new inherits from @old
  * and will inherit @old children.
@@ -993,7 +997,8 @@ static struct aa_profile *__list_lookup_parent(struct list_head *lh,
  *
  * Requires: namespace list lock be held, or list not be shared
  */
-static void __replace_profile(struct aa_profile *old, struct aa_profile *new)
+static void __replace_profile(struct aa_profile *old, struct aa_profile *new,
+			      bool share_replacedby)
 {
 	struct aa_profile *child, *tmp;
 
@@ -1008,7 +1013,7 @@ static void __replace_profile(struct aa_profile *old, struct aa_profile *new)
 			p = __find_child(&new->base.profiles, child->base.name);
 			if (p) {
 				/* @p replaces @child  */
-				__replace_profile(child, p);
+				__replace_profile(child, p, share_replacedby);
 				continue;
 			}
 
@@ -1027,8 +1032,11 @@ static void __replace_profile(struct aa_profile *old, struct aa_profile *new)
 		struct aa_profile *parent = rcu_dereference(old->parent);
 		rcu_assign_pointer(new->parent, aa_get_profile(parent));
 	}
-	/* released by free_profile */
-	old->replacedby = aa_get_profile(new);
+	__aa_update_replacedby(old, new);
+	if (share_replacedby) {
+		aa_put_replacedby(new->replacedby);
+		new->replacedby = aa_get_replacedby(old->replacedby);
+	}
 
 	if (list_empty(&new->base.list)) {
 		/* new is not on a list already */
@@ -1152,23 +1160,24 @@ ssize_t aa_replace_profiles(void *udata, size_t size, bool noreplace)
 		audit_policy(op, GFP_ATOMIC, ent->new->base.name, NULL, error);
 
 		if (ent->old) {
-			__replace_profile(ent->old, ent->new);
+			__replace_profile(ent->old, ent->new, 1);
 			if (ent->rename)
-				__replace_profile(ent->rename, ent->new);
+				__replace_profile(ent->rename, ent->new, 0);
 		} else if (ent->rename) {
-			__replace_profile(ent->rename, ent->new);
+			__replace_profile(ent->rename, ent->new, 0);
 		} else if (ent->new->parent) {
 			struct aa_profile *parent, *newest;
 			parent = rcu_dereference_protected(ent->new->parent,
 						    mutex_is_locked(&ns->lock));
-			newest = aa_newest_version(parent);
+			newest = aa_get_newest_profile(parent);
 
 			/* parent replaced in this atomic set? */
 			if (newest != parent) {
 				aa_get_profile(newest);
 				aa_put_profile(parent);
 				rcu_assign_pointer(ent->new->parent, newest);
-			}
+			} else
+				aa_put_profile(newest);
 			__list_add_profile(&parent->base.profiles, ent->new);
 		} else
 			__list_add_profile(&ns->base.profiles, ent->new);