diff --git a/fs/proc/generic.c b/fs/proc/generic.c
index 775fb21..22a08ff 100644
--- a/fs/proc/generic.c
+++ b/fs/proc/generic.c
@@ -398,6 +398,7 @@
 			if (!memcmp(dentry->d_name.name, de->name, de->namelen)) {
 				unsigned int ino = de->low_ino;
 
+				de_get(de);
 				spin_unlock(&proc_subdir_lock);
 				error = -EINVAL;
 				inode = proc_get_inode(dir->i_sb, ino, de);
@@ -414,6 +415,7 @@
 		d_add(dentry, inode);
 		return NULL;
 	}
+	de_put(de);
 	return ERR_PTR(error);
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/proc/inode.c b/fs/proc/inode.c
index 22b1158..d1de637 100644
--- a/fs/proc/inode.c
+++ b/fs/proc/inode.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 #include "internal.h"
 
-static inline struct proc_dir_entry * de_get(struct proc_dir_entry *de)
+struct proc_dir_entry *de_get(struct proc_dir_entry *de)
 {
 	if (de)
 		atomic_inc(&de->count);
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 /*
  * Decrements the use count and checks for deferred deletion.
  */
-static void de_put(struct proc_dir_entry *de)
+void de_put(struct proc_dir_entry *de)
 {
 	if (de) {	
 		lock_kernel();		
@@ -146,11 +146,6 @@
 {
 	struct inode * inode;
 
-	/*
-	 * Increment the use count so the dir entry can't disappear.
-	 */
-	de_get(de);
-
 	WARN_ON(de && de->deleted);
 
 	if (de != NULL && !try_module_get(de->owner))
@@ -184,7 +179,6 @@
 	if (de != NULL)
 		module_put(de->owner);
 out_mod:
-	de_put(de);
 	return NULL;
 }			
 
@@ -199,6 +193,7 @@
 	s->s_op = &proc_sops;
 	s->s_time_gran = 1;
 	
+	de_get(&proc_root);
 	root_inode = proc_get_inode(s, PROC_ROOT_INO, &proc_root);
 	if (!root_inode)
 		goto out_no_root;
@@ -212,6 +207,7 @@
 out_no_root:
 	printk("proc_read_super: get root inode failed\n");
 	iput(root_inode);
+	de_put(&proc_root);
 	return -ENOMEM;
 }
 MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
diff --git a/include/linux/proc_fs.h b/include/linux/proc_fs.h
index f4f7a63..3469f96 100644
--- a/include/linux/proc_fs.h
+++ b/include/linux/proc_fs.h
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@
 char *task_mem(struct mm_struct *, char *);
 void clear_refs_smap(struct mm_struct *mm);
 
+struct proc_dir_entry *de_get(struct proc_dir_entry *de);
+void de_put(struct proc_dir_entry *de);
+
 extern struct proc_dir_entry *create_proc_entry(const char *name, mode_t mode,
 						struct proc_dir_entry *parent);
 extern void remove_proc_entry(const char *name, struct proc_dir_entry *parent);