diff --git a/include/linux/coda_linux.h b/include/linux/coda_linux.h
index dcc228a..2e914d0 100644
--- a/include/linux/coda_linux.h
+++ b/include/linux/coda_linux.h
@@ -89,7 +89,11 @@
 /* this will not zap the inode away */
 static __inline__ void coda_flag_inode(struct inode *inode, int flag)
 {
-	ITOC(inode)->c_flags |= flag;
+	struct coda_inode_info *cii = ITOC(inode);
+
+	spin_lock(&cii->c_lock);
+	cii->c_flags |= flag;
+	spin_unlock(&cii->c_lock);
 }		
 
 #endif