diff --git a/fs/jbd2/journal.c b/fs/jbd2/journal.c
index fe20e40..2932c8f 100644
--- a/fs/jbd2/journal.c
+++ b/fs/jbd2/journal.c
@@ -632,6 +632,8 @@
 		return NULL;
 
 	bh = __getblk(journal->j_dev, blocknr, journal->j_blocksize);
+	if (!bh)
+		return NULL;
 	lock_buffer(bh);
 	memset(bh->b_data, 0, journal->j_blocksize);
 	set_buffer_uptodate(bh);
@@ -1021,15 +1023,14 @@
 
 	/* journal descriptor can store up to n blocks -bzzz */
 	journal->j_blocksize = blocksize;
+	jbd2_stats_proc_init(journal);
 	n = journal->j_blocksize / sizeof(journal_block_tag_t);
 	journal->j_wbufsize = n;
 	journal->j_wbuf = kmalloc(n * sizeof(struct buffer_head*), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!journal->j_wbuf) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Cant allocate bhs for commit thread\n",
 			__func__);
-		kfree(journal);
-		journal = NULL;
-		goto out;
+		goto out_err;
 	}
 	journal->j_dev = bdev;
 	journal->j_fs_dev = fs_dev;
@@ -1039,14 +1040,22 @@
 	p = journal->j_devname;
 	while ((p = strchr(p, '/')))
 		*p = '!';
-	jbd2_stats_proc_init(journal);
 
 	bh = __getblk(journal->j_dev, start, journal->j_blocksize);
-	J_ASSERT(bh != NULL);
+	if (!bh) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR
+		       "%s: Cannot get buffer for journal superblock\n",
+		       __func__);
+		goto out_err;
+	}
 	journal->j_sb_buffer = bh;
 	journal->j_superblock = (journal_superblock_t *)bh->b_data;
-out:
+
 	return journal;
+out_err:
+	jbd2_stats_proc_exit(journal);
+	kfree(journal);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1094,9 +1103,7 @@
 	if (!journal->j_wbuf) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Cant allocate bhs for commit thread\n",
 			__func__);
-		jbd2_stats_proc_exit(journal);
-		kfree(journal);
-		return NULL;
+		goto out_err;
 	}
 
 	err = jbd2_journal_bmap(journal, 0, &blocknr);
@@ -1104,17 +1111,24 @@
 	if (err) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Cannnot locate journal superblock\n",
 		       __func__);
-		jbd2_stats_proc_exit(journal);
-		kfree(journal);
-		return NULL;
+		goto out_err;
 	}
 
 	bh = __getblk(journal->j_dev, blocknr, journal->j_blocksize);
-	J_ASSERT(bh != NULL);
+	if (!bh) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR
+		       "%s: Cannot get buffer for journal superblock\n",
+		       __func__);
+		goto out_err;
+	}
 	journal->j_sb_buffer = bh;
 	journal->j_superblock = (journal_superblock_t *)bh->b_data;
 
 	return journal;
+out_err:
+	jbd2_stats_proc_exit(journal);
+	kfree(journal);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /*