diff --git a/fs/autofs/autofs_i.h b/fs/autofs/autofs_i.h
index 918826eaceea..0117d6e06300 100644
--- a/fs/autofs/autofs_i.h
+++ b/fs/autofs/autofs_i.h
@@ -148,6 +148,11 @@ static inline int autofs_oz_mode(struct autofs_sb_info *sbi)
 		 task_pgrp(current) == sbi->oz_pgrp);
 }
 
+static inline bool autofs_empty(struct autofs_info *ino)
+{
+	return ino->count < 2;
+}
+
 struct inode *autofs_get_inode(struct super_block *, umode_t);
 void autofs_free_ino(struct autofs_info *);
 
diff --git a/fs/autofs/expire.c b/fs/autofs/expire.c
index b3fefd6237c3..038b3d2d9f57 100644
--- a/fs/autofs/expire.c
+++ b/fs/autofs/expire.c
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ static struct dentry *should_expire(struct dentry *dentry,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	if (simple_empty(dentry))
+	if (autofs_empty(ino))
 		return NULL;
 
 	/* Case 2: tree mount, expire iff entire tree is not busy */
diff --git a/fs/autofs/root.c b/fs/autofs/root.c
index 442d27d9cb1b..e0fa71eb5c05 100644
--- a/fs/autofs/root.c
+++ b/fs/autofs/root.c
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ static int autofs_dir_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 {
 	struct dentry *dentry = file->f_path.dentry;
 	struct autofs_sb_info *sbi = autofs_sbi(dentry->d_sb);
+	struct autofs_info *ino = autofs_dentry_ino(dentry);
 
 	pr_debug("file=%p dentry=%p %pd\n", file, dentry, dentry);
 
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ static int autofs_dir_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	 * it.
 	 */
 	spin_lock(&sbi->lookup_lock);
-	if (!path_is_mountpoint(&file->f_path) && simple_empty(dentry)) {
+	if (!path_is_mountpoint(&file->f_path) && autofs_empty(ino)) {
 		spin_unlock(&sbi->lookup_lock);
 		return -ENOENT;
 	}
@@ -364,7 +365,7 @@ static struct vfsmount *autofs_d_automount(struct path *path)
 		 * the mount never trigger mounts themselves (they have an
 		 * autofs trigger mount mounted on them). But v4 pseudo direct
 		 * mounts do need the leaves to trigger mounts. In this case
-		 * we have no choice but to use the list_empty() check and
+		 * we have no choice but to use the autofs_empty() check and
 		 * require user space behave.
 		 */
 		if (sbi->version > 4) {
@@ -373,7 +374,7 @@ static struct vfsmount *autofs_d_automount(struct path *path)
 				goto done;
 			}
 		} else {
-			if (!simple_empty(dentry)) {
+			if (!autofs_empty(ino)) {
 				spin_unlock(&sbi->fs_lock);
 				goto done;
 			}
@@ -428,9 +429,8 @@ static int autofs_d_manage(const struct path *path, bool rcu_walk)
 
 	if (rcu_walk) {
 		/* We don't need fs_lock in rcu_walk mode,
-		 * just testing 'AUTOFS_INFO_NO_RCU' is enough.
-		 * simple_empty() takes a spinlock, so leave it
-		 * to last.
+		 * just testing 'AUTOFS_INF_WANT_EXPIRE' is enough.
+		 *
 		 * We only return -EISDIR when certain this isn't
 		 * a mount-trap.
 		 */
@@ -443,9 +443,7 @@ static int autofs_d_manage(const struct path *path, bool rcu_walk)
 		inode = d_inode_rcu(dentry);
 		if (inode && S_ISLNK(inode->i_mode))
 			return -EISDIR;
-		if (list_empty(&dentry->d_subdirs))
-			return 0;
-		if (!simple_empty(dentry))
+		if (!autofs_empty(ino))
 			return -EISDIR;
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -465,7 +463,7 @@ static int autofs_d_manage(const struct path *path, bool rcu_walk)
 		 * we can avoid needless calls ->d_automount() and avoid
 		 * an incorrect ELOOP error return.
 		 */
-		if ((!path_is_mountpoint(path) && !simple_empty(dentry)) ||
+		if ((!path_is_mountpoint(path) && !autofs_empty(ino)) ||
 		    (d_really_is_positive(dentry) && d_is_symlink(dentry)))
 			status = -EISDIR;
 	}