diff --git a/fs/smb/client/cifsproto.h b/fs/smb/client/cifsproto.h
index cfcc079..59f6fdf 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/cifsproto.h
+++ b/fs/smb/client/cifsproto.h
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ extern int cifs_get_writable_path(struct cifs_tcon *tcon, const char *name,
 extern struct cifsFileInfo *find_readable_file(struct cifsInodeInfo *, bool);
 extern int cifs_get_readable_path(struct cifs_tcon *tcon, const char *name,
 				  struct cifsFileInfo **ret_file);
+extern int cifs_get_hardlink_path(struct cifs_tcon *tcon, struct inode *inode,
+				  struct file *file);
 extern unsigned int smbCalcSize(void *buf);
 extern int decode_negTokenInit(unsigned char *security_blob, int length,
 			struct TCP_Server_Info *server);
diff --git a/fs/smb/client/connect.c b/fs/smb/client/connect.c
index 4a0b2d2..df976ce 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/connect.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/connect.c
@@ -300,7 +300,6 @@ cifs_abort_connection(struct TCP_Server_Info *server)
 			 server->ssocket->flags);
 		sock_release(server->ssocket);
 		server->ssocket = NULL;
-		put_net(cifs_net_ns(server));
 	}
 	server->sequence_number = 0;
 	server->session_estab = false;
@@ -1074,13 +1073,9 @@ clean_demultiplex_info(struct TCP_Server_Info *server)
 	msleep(125);
 	if (cifs_rdma_enabled(server))
 		smbd_destroy(server);
-
 	if (server->ssocket) {
 		sock_release(server->ssocket);
 		server->ssocket = NULL;
-
-		/* Release netns reference for the socket. */
-		put_net(cifs_net_ns(server));
 	}
 
 	if (!list_empty(&server->pending_mid_q)) {
@@ -1128,7 +1123,6 @@ clean_demultiplex_info(struct TCP_Server_Info *server)
 		 */
 	}
 
-	/* Release netns reference for this server. */
 	put_net(cifs_net_ns(server));
 	kfree(server->leaf_fullpath);
 	kfree(server->hostname);
@@ -1774,8 +1768,6 @@ cifs_get_tcp_session(struct smb3_fs_context *ctx,
 
 	tcp_ses->ops = ctx->ops;
 	tcp_ses->vals = ctx->vals;
-
-	/* Grab netns reference for this server. */
 	cifs_set_net_ns(tcp_ses, get_net(current->nsproxy->net_ns));
 
 	tcp_ses->sign = ctx->sign;
@@ -1903,7 +1895,6 @@ smbd_connected:
 out_err_crypto_release:
 	cifs_crypto_secmech_release(tcp_ses);
 
-	/* Release netns reference for this server. */
 	put_net(cifs_net_ns(tcp_ses));
 
 out_err:
@@ -1912,10 +1903,8 @@ out_err:
 			cifs_put_tcp_session(tcp_ses->primary_server, false);
 		kfree(tcp_ses->hostname);
 		kfree(tcp_ses->leaf_fullpath);
-		if (tcp_ses->ssocket) {
+		if (tcp_ses->ssocket)
 			sock_release(tcp_ses->ssocket);
-			put_net(cifs_net_ns(tcp_ses));
-		}
 		kfree(tcp_ses);
 	}
 	return ERR_PTR(rc);
@@ -3359,24 +3348,20 @@ generic_ip_connect(struct TCP_Server_Info *server)
 		socket = server->ssocket;
 	} else {
 		struct net *net = cifs_net_ns(server);
+		struct sock *sk;
 
-		rc = sock_create_kern(net, sfamily, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP, &server->ssocket);
+		rc = __sock_create(net, sfamily, SOCK_STREAM,
+				   IPPROTO_TCP, &server->ssocket, 1);
 		if (rc < 0) {
 			cifs_server_dbg(VFS, "Error %d creating socket\n", rc);
 			return rc;
 		}
 
-		/*
-		 * Grab netns reference for the socket.
-		 *
-		 * This reference will be released in several situations:
-		 * - In the failure path before the cifsd thread is started.
-		 * - In the all place where server->socket is released, it is
-		 *   also set to NULL.
-		 * - Ultimately in clean_demultiplex_info(), during the final
-		 *   teardown.
-		 */
-		get_net(net);
+		sk = server->ssocket->sk;
+		__netns_tracker_free(net, &sk->ns_tracker, false);
+		sk->sk_net_refcnt = 1;
+		get_net_track(net, &sk->ns_tracker, GFP_KERNEL);
+		sock_inuse_add(net, 1);
 
 		/* BB other socket options to set KEEPALIVE, NODELAY? */
 		cifs_dbg(FYI, "Socket created\n");
@@ -3428,7 +3413,6 @@ generic_ip_connect(struct TCP_Server_Info *server)
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		cifs_dbg(FYI, "Error %d connecting to server\n", rc);
 		trace_smb3_connect_err(server->hostname, server->conn_id, &server->dstaddr, rc);
-		put_net(cifs_net_ns(server));
 		sock_release(socket);
 		server->ssocket = NULL;
 		return rc;
diff --git a/fs/smb/client/file.c b/fs/smb/client/file.c
index 8407fb1..9e8f404 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/file.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/file.c
@@ -1007,6 +1007,11 @@ int cifs_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 		} else {
 			_cifsFileInfo_put(cfile, true, false);
 		}
+	} else {
+		/* hard link on the defeered close file */
+		rc = cifs_get_hardlink_path(tcon, inode, file);
+		if (rc)
+			cifs_close_deferred_file(CIFS_I(inode));
 	}
 
 	if (server->oplocks)
@@ -2071,6 +2076,29 @@ cifs_move_llist(struct list_head *source, struct list_head *dest)
 		list_move(li, dest);
 }
 
+int
+cifs_get_hardlink_path(struct cifs_tcon *tcon, struct inode *inode,
+				struct file *file)
+{
+	struct cifsFileInfo *open_file = NULL;
+	struct cifsInodeInfo *cinode = CIFS_I(inode);
+	int rc = 0;
+
+	spin_lock(&tcon->open_file_lock);
+	spin_lock(&cinode->open_file_lock);
+
+	list_for_each_entry(open_file, &cinode->openFileList, flist) {
+		if (file->f_flags == open_file->f_flags) {
+			rc = -EINVAL;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	spin_unlock(&cinode->open_file_lock);
+	spin_unlock(&tcon->open_file_lock);
+	return rc;
+}
+
 void
 cifs_free_llist(struct list_head *llist)
 {