diff --git a/fs/dcache.c b/fs/dcache.c
index 3c6d3113a255..616fedff011a 100644
--- a/fs/dcache.c
+++ b/fs/dcache.c
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ static void dentry_lru_add(struct dentry *dentry)
 static void __dentry_lru_del(struct dentry *dentry)
 {
 	list_del_init(&dentry->d_lru);
+	dentry->d_flags &= ~DCACHE_SHRINK_LIST;
 	dentry->d_sb->s_nr_dentry_unused--;
 	dentry_stat.nr_unused--;
 }
@@ -806,6 +807,7 @@ void prune_dcache_sb(struct super_block *sb, int count)
 			spin_unlock(&dentry->d_lock);
 		} else {
 			list_move_tail(&dentry->d_lru, &tmp);
+			dentry->d_flags |= DCACHE_SHRINK_LIST;
 			spin_unlock(&dentry->d_lock);
 			if (!--count)
 				break;
@@ -1097,14 +1099,19 @@ static int select_parent(struct dentry *parent, struct list_head *dispose)
 
 		/*
 		 * move only zero ref count dentries to the dispose list.
+		 *
+		 * Those which are presently on the shrink list, being processed
+		 * by shrink_dentry_list(), shouldn't be moved.  Otherwise the
+		 * loop in shrink_dcache_parent() might not make any progress
+		 * and loop forever.
 		 */
-		if (!dentry->d_count) {
-			dentry_lru_move_list(dentry, dispose);
-			found++;
-		} else {
+		if (dentry->d_count) {
 			dentry_lru_del(dentry);
+		} else if (!(dentry->d_flags & DCACHE_SHRINK_LIST)) {
+			dentry_lru_move_list(dentry, dispose);
+			dentry->d_flags |= DCACHE_SHRINK_LIST;
+			found++;
 		}
-
 		/*
 		 * We can return to the caller if we have found some (this
 		 * ensures forward progress). We'll be coming back to find
diff --git a/include/linux/dcache.h b/include/linux/dcache.h
index a47bda5f76db..31f73220e7d7 100644
--- a/include/linux/dcache.h
+++ b/include/linux/dcache.h
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ struct dentry_operations {
 
 #define DCACHE_CANT_MOUNT	0x0100
 #define DCACHE_GENOCIDE		0x0200
+#define DCACHE_SHRINK_LIST	0x0400
 
 #define DCACHE_NFSFS_RENAMED	0x1000
      /* this dentry has been "silly renamed" and has to be deleted on the last