diff --git a/block/blk-ioc.c b/block/blk-ioc.c
index 10928740b5da..439ec21fd787 100644
--- a/block/blk-ioc.c
+++ b/block/blk-ioc.c
@@ -149,20 +149,20 @@ void put_io_context(struct io_context *ioc)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(put_io_context);
 
-/* Called by the exiting task */
-void exit_io_context(struct task_struct *task)
+/**
+ * put_io_context_active - put active reference on ioc
+ * @ioc: ioc of interest
+ *
+ * Undo get_io_context_active().  If active reference reaches zero after
+ * put, @ioc can never issue further IOs and ioscheds are notified.
+ */
+void put_io_context_active(struct io_context *ioc)
 {
-	struct io_context *ioc;
-	struct io_cq *icq;
 	struct hlist_node *n;
 	unsigned long flags;
+	struct io_cq *icq;
 
-	task_lock(task);
-	ioc = task->io_context;
-	task->io_context = NULL;
-	task_unlock(task);
-
-	if (!atomic_dec_and_test(&ioc->nr_tasks)) {
+	if (!atomic_dec_and_test(&ioc->active_ref)) {
 		put_io_context(ioc);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -191,6 +191,20 @@ retry:
 	put_io_context(ioc);
 }
 
+/* Called by the exiting task */
+void exit_io_context(struct task_struct *task)
+{
+	struct io_context *ioc;
+
+	task_lock(task);
+	ioc = task->io_context;
+	task->io_context = NULL;
+	task_unlock(task);
+
+	atomic_dec(&ioc->nr_tasks);
+	put_io_context_active(ioc);
+}
+
 /**
  * ioc_clear_queue - break any ioc association with the specified queue
  * @q: request_queue being cleared
@@ -223,7 +237,7 @@ int create_task_io_context(struct task_struct *task, gfp_t gfp_flags, int node)
 
 	/* initialize */
 	atomic_long_set(&ioc->refcount, 1);
-	atomic_set(&ioc->nr_tasks, 1);
+	atomic_set(&ioc->active_ref, 1);
 	spin_lock_init(&ioc->lock);
 	INIT_RADIX_TREE(&ioc->icq_tree, GFP_ATOMIC | __GFP_HIGH);
 	INIT_HLIST_HEAD(&ioc->icq_list);
diff --git a/block/cfq-iosched.c b/block/cfq-iosched.c
index 9e386d9bcb79..9a4eac490e0b 100644
--- a/block/cfq-iosched.c
+++ b/block/cfq-iosched.c
@@ -1865,7 +1865,7 @@ static void cfq_arm_slice_timer(struct cfq_data *cfqd)
 	 * task has exited, don't wait
 	 */
 	cic = cfqd->active_cic;
-	if (!cic || !atomic_read(&cic->icq.ioc->nr_tasks))
+	if (!cic || !atomic_read(&cic->icq.ioc->active_ref))
 		return;
 
 	/*
@@ -2841,7 +2841,7 @@ cfq_update_idle_window(struct cfq_data *cfqd, struct cfq_queue *cfqq,
 
 	if (cfqq->next_rq && (cfqq->next_rq->cmd_flags & REQ_NOIDLE))
 		enable_idle = 0;
-	else if (!atomic_read(&cic->icq.ioc->nr_tasks) ||
+	else if (!atomic_read(&cic->icq.ioc->active_ref) ||
 		 !cfqd->cfq_slice_idle ||
 		 (!cfq_cfqq_deep(cfqq) && CFQQ_SEEKY(cfqq)))
 		enable_idle = 0;
diff --git a/include/linux/iocontext.h b/include/linux/iocontext.h
index 81a8870ac224..6f1a2608e91f 100644
--- a/include/linux/iocontext.h
+++ b/include/linux/iocontext.h
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ struct io_cq {
  */
 struct io_context {
 	atomic_long_t refcount;
+	atomic_t active_ref;
 	atomic_t nr_tasks;
 
 	/* all the fields below are protected by this lock */
@@ -120,17 +121,34 @@ struct io_context {
 	struct work_struct release_work;
 };
 
-static inline void ioc_task_link(struct io_context *ioc)
+/**
+ * get_io_context_active - get active reference on ioc
+ * @ioc: ioc of interest
+ *
+ * Only iocs with active reference can issue new IOs.  This function
+ * acquires an active reference on @ioc.  The caller must already have an
+ * active reference on @ioc.
+ */
+static inline void get_io_context_active(struct io_context *ioc)
 {
 	WARN_ON_ONCE(atomic_long_read(&ioc->refcount) <= 0);
-	WARN_ON_ONCE(atomic_read(&ioc->nr_tasks) <= 0);
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(atomic_read(&ioc->active_ref) <= 0);
 	atomic_long_inc(&ioc->refcount);
+	atomic_inc(&ioc->active_ref);
+}
+
+static inline void ioc_task_link(struct io_context *ioc)
+{
+	get_io_context_active(ioc);
+
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(atomic_read(&ioc->nr_tasks) <= 0);
 	atomic_inc(&ioc->nr_tasks);
 }
 
 struct task_struct;
 #ifdef CONFIG_BLOCK
 void put_io_context(struct io_context *ioc);
+void put_io_context_active(struct io_context *ioc);
 void exit_io_context(struct task_struct *task);
 struct io_context *get_task_io_context(struct task_struct *task,
 				       gfp_t gfp_flags, int node);