diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs3proc.c b/fs/nfs/nfs3proc.c
index 9d7ff4f83faf..7fba06306b82 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs3proc.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs3proc.c
@@ -690,8 +690,6 @@ nfs3_proc_readdir(struct dentry *dentry, struct rpc_cred *cred,
 	};
 	int			status;
 
-	lock_kernel();
-
 	if (plus)
 		msg.rpc_proc = &nfs3_procedures[NFS3PROC_READDIRPLUS];
 
@@ -702,7 +700,6 @@ nfs3_proc_readdir(struct dentry *dentry, struct rpc_cred *cred,
 	status = rpc_call_sync(NFS_CLIENT(dir), &msg, 0);
 	nfs_refresh_inode(dir, &dir_attr);
 	dprintk("NFS reply readdir: %d\n", status);
-	unlock_kernel();
 	return status;
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs4proc.c b/fs/nfs/nfs4proc.c
index 93ac05889cbc..4b5fc714d786 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs4proc.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs4proc.c
@@ -2223,13 +2223,11 @@ static int _nfs4_proc_readdir(struct dentry *dentry, struct rpc_cred *cred,
 			dentry->d_parent->d_name.name,
 			dentry->d_name.name,
 			(unsigned long long)cookie);
-	lock_kernel();
 	nfs4_setup_readdir(cookie, NFS_COOKIEVERF(dir), dentry, &args);
 	res.pgbase = args.pgbase;
 	status = rpc_call_sync(NFS_CLIENT(dir), &msg, 0);
 	if (status == 0)
 		memcpy(NFS_COOKIEVERF(dir), res.verifier.data, NFS4_VERIFIER_SIZE);
-	unlock_kernel();
 	dprintk("%s: returns %d\n", __FUNCTION__, status);
 	return status;
 }
diff --git a/fs/nfs/proc.c b/fs/nfs/proc.c
index 4529cc4f3f8f..7a9013dd5d0a 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/proc.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/proc.c
@@ -545,13 +545,10 @@ nfs_proc_readdir(struct dentry *dentry, struct rpc_cred *cred,
 	};
 	int			status;
 
-	lock_kernel();
-
 	dprintk("NFS call  readdir %d\n", (unsigned int)cookie);
 	status = rpc_call_sync(NFS_CLIENT(dir), &msg, 0);
 
 	dprintk("NFS reply readdir: %d\n", status);
-	unlock_kernel();
 	return status;
 }