diff --git a/fs/lockd/svc4proc.c b/fs/lockd/svc4proc.c
index fa370f6eb07b..399ad11b97be 100644
--- a/fs/lockd/svc4proc.c
+++ b/fs/lockd/svc4proc.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ nlm4svc_proc_test(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlm4svc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Now check for conflicting locks */
 	resp->status = nlmsvc_testlock(file, &argp->lock, &resp->lock);
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ nlm4svc_proc_lock(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlm4svc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 #if 0
 	/* If supplied state doesn't match current state, we assume it's
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ nlm4svc_proc_cancel(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlm4svc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Try to cancel request. */
 	resp->status = nlmsvc_cancel_blocked(file, &argp->lock);
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ nlm4svc_proc_unlock(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlm4svc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Now try to remove the lock */
 	resp->status = nlmsvc_unlock(file, &argp->lock);
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ nlm4svc_proc_share(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlm4svc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Now try to create the share */
 	resp->status = nlmsvc_share_file(host, file, argp);
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ nlm4svc_proc_unshare(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlm4svc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Now try to lock the file */
 	resp->status = nlmsvc_unshare_file(host, file, argp);
diff --git a/fs/lockd/svcproc.c b/fs/lockd/svcproc.c
index 75b2c81bcb93..6a931f4ab75c 100644
--- a/fs/lockd/svcproc.c
+++ b/fs/lockd/svcproc.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ nlmsvc_retrieve_args(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 	struct nlm_host		*host = NULL;
 	struct nlm_file		*file = NULL;
 	struct nlm_lock		*lock = &argp->lock;
-	u32			error;
+	u32			error = 0;
 
 	/* nfsd callbacks must have been installed for this procedure */
 	if (!nlmsvc_ops)
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ nlmsvc_retrieve_args(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 no_locks:
 	if (host)
 		nlm_release_host(host);
+	if (error)
+		return error;
 	return nlm_lck_denied_nolocks;
 }
 
@@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ nlmsvc_proc_test(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlmsvc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Now check for conflicting locks */
 	resp->status = cast_status(nlmsvc_testlock(file, &argp->lock, &resp->lock));
@@ -153,7 +155,7 @@ nlmsvc_proc_lock(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlmsvc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 #if 0
 	/* If supplied state doesn't match current state, we assume it's
@@ -196,7 +198,7 @@ nlmsvc_proc_cancel(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlmsvc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Try to cancel request. */
 	resp->status = cast_status(nlmsvc_cancel_blocked(file, &argp->lock));
@@ -229,7 +231,7 @@ nlmsvc_proc_unlock(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlmsvc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Now try to remove the lock */
 	resp->status = cast_status(nlmsvc_unlock(file, &argp->lock));
@@ -368,7 +370,7 @@ nlmsvc_proc_share(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlmsvc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Now try to create the share */
 	resp->status = cast_status(nlmsvc_share_file(host, file, argp));
@@ -401,7 +403,7 @@ nlmsvc_proc_unshare(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nlm_args *argp,
 
 	/* Obtain client and file */
 	if ((resp->status = nlmsvc_retrieve_args(rqstp, argp, &host, &file)))
-		return rpc_success;
+		return resp->status == nlm_drop_reply ? rpc_drop_reply :rpc_success;
 
 	/* Now try to unshare the file */
 	resp->status = cast_status(nlmsvc_unshare_file(host, file, argp));
diff --git a/fs/lockd/svcsubs.c b/fs/lockd/svcsubs.c
index c5f9113cdc70..7dac96e6c82c 100644
--- a/fs/lockd/svcsubs.c
+++ b/fs/lockd/svcsubs.c
@@ -135,12 +135,6 @@ out_unlock:
 
 out_free:
 	kfree(file);
-#ifdef CONFIG_LOCKD_V4
-	if (nfserr == 1)
-		nfserr = nlm4_stale_fh;
-	else
-#endif
-	nfserr = nlm_lck_denied;
 	goto out_unlock;
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/nfsd/lockd.c b/fs/nfsd/lockd.c
index 7b889ff15ae6..9b9e7e127c03 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/lockd.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/lockd.c
@@ -39,18 +39,20 @@ nlm_fopen(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct nfs_fh *f, struct file **filp)
 	fh_put(&fh);
 	rqstp->rq_client = NULL;
 	exp_readunlock();
- 	/* nlm and nfsd don't share error codes.
-	 * we invent: 0 = no error
-	 *            1 = stale file handle
-	 *	      2 = other error
+ 	/* We return nlm error codes as nlm doesn't know
+	 * about nfsd, but nfsd does know about nlm..
 	 */
 	switch (nfserr) {
 	case nfs_ok:
 		return 0;
+	case nfserr_dropit:
+		return nlm_drop_reply;
+#ifdef CONFIG_LOCKD_V4
 	case nfserr_stale:
-		return 1;
+		return nlm4_stale_fh;
+#endif
 	default:
-		return 2;
+		return nlm_lck_denied;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/lockd/bind.h b/include/linux/lockd/bind.h
index 81e3a185f951..aa50d89eacd7 100644
--- a/include/linux/lockd/bind.h
+++ b/include/linux/lockd/bind.h
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@
 #define LINUX_LOCKD_BIND_H
 
 #include <linux/lockd/nlm.h>
+/* need xdr-encoded error codes too, so... */
+#include <linux/lockd/xdr.h>
+#ifdef CONFIG_LOCKD_V4
+#include <linux/lockd/xdr4.h>
+#endif
 
 /* Dummy declarations */
 struct svc_rqst;
diff --git a/include/linux/lockd/xdr.h b/include/linux/lockd/xdr.h
index bb0a0f1caa91..66fdae3b490c 100644
--- a/include/linux/lockd/xdr.h
+++ b/include/linux/lockd/xdr.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #include <linux/nfs.h>
 #include <linux/sunrpc/xdr.h>
 
+struct svc_rqst;
+
 #define NLM_MAXCOOKIELEN    	32
 #define NLM_MAXSTRLEN		1024
 
@@ -22,6 +24,8 @@
 #define	nlm_lck_blocked		__constant_htonl(NLM_LCK_BLOCKED)
 #define	nlm_lck_denied_grace_period	__constant_htonl(NLM_LCK_DENIED_GRACE_PERIOD)
 
+#define nlm_drop_reply		__constant_htonl(30000)
+
 /* Lock info passed via NLM */
 struct nlm_lock {
 	char *			caller;
diff --git a/include/linux/sunrpc/msg_prot.h b/include/linux/sunrpc/msg_prot.h
index 1e65f2dd80e5..606cb2165232 100644
--- a/include/linux/sunrpc/msg_prot.h
+++ b/include/linux/sunrpc/msg_prot.h
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ enum rpc_accept_stat {
 	RPC_PROG_MISMATCH = 2,
 	RPC_PROC_UNAVAIL = 3,
 	RPC_GARBAGE_ARGS = 4,
-	RPC_SYSTEM_ERR = 5
+	RPC_SYSTEM_ERR = 5,
+	/* internal use only */
+	RPC_DROP_REPLY = 60000,
 };
 
 enum rpc_reject_stat {
diff --git a/include/linux/sunrpc/xdr.h b/include/linux/sunrpc/xdr.h
index 953723b09bc6..ac69e5511606 100644
--- a/include/linux/sunrpc/xdr.h
+++ b/include/linux/sunrpc/xdr.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ struct xdr_buf {
 #define	rpc_proc_unavail	__constant_htonl(RPC_PROC_UNAVAIL)
 #define	rpc_garbage_args	__constant_htonl(RPC_GARBAGE_ARGS)
 #define	rpc_system_err		__constant_htonl(RPC_SYSTEM_ERR)
+#define	rpc_drop_reply		__constant_htonl(RPC_DROP_REPLY)
 
 #define	rpc_auth_ok		__constant_htonl(RPC_AUTH_OK)
 #define	rpc_autherr_badcred	__constant_htonl(RPC_AUTH_BADCRED)
diff --git a/net/sunrpc/svc.c b/net/sunrpc/svc.c
index 2807fa0eab40..eb44ec929ca1 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/svc.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/svc.c
@@ -828,6 +828,11 @@ svc_process(struct svc_rqst *rqstp)
 		*statp = procp->pc_func(rqstp, rqstp->rq_argp, rqstp->rq_resp);
 
 		/* Encode reply */
+		if (*statp == rpc_drop_reply) {
+			if (procp->pc_release)
+				procp->pc_release(rqstp, NULL, rqstp->rq_resp);
+			goto dropit;
+		}
 		if (*statp == rpc_success && (xdr = procp->pc_encode)
 		 && !xdr(rqstp, resv->iov_base+resv->iov_len, rqstp->rq_resp)) {
 			dprintk("svc: failed to encode reply\n");