diff --git a/fs/fuse/dev.c b/fs/fuse/dev.c
index 0834f5640875..410e76aba8f6 100644
--- a/fs/fuse/dev.c
+++ b/fs/fuse/dev.c
@@ -376,12 +376,19 @@ __releases(fc->lock)
 	if (req->background) {
 		req->background = 0;
 
-		if (fc->num_background == fc->max_background)
+		if (fc->num_background == fc->max_background) {
 			fc->blocked = 0;
-
-		/* Wake up next waiter, if any */
-		if (!fc->blocked && waitqueue_active(&fc->blocked_waitq))
 			wake_up(&fc->blocked_waitq);
+		} else if (!fc->blocked) {
+			/*
+			 * Wake up next waiter, if any.  It's okay to use
+			 * waitqueue_active(), as we've already synced up
+			 * fc->blocked with waiters with the wake_up() call
+			 * above.
+			 */
+			if (waitqueue_active(&fc->blocked_waitq))
+				wake_up(&fc->blocked_waitq);
+		}
 
 		if (fc->num_background == fc->congestion_threshold &&
 		    fc->connected && fc->bdi_initialized) {