diff --git a/fs/namespace.c b/fs/namespace.c
index 2adfe7b166a3..76ea92994d26 100644
--- a/fs/namespace.c
+++ b/fs/namespace.c
@@ -156,10 +156,10 @@ static inline void mnt_add_count(struct mount *mnt, int n)
 /*
  * vfsmount lock must be held for write
  */
-unsigned int mnt_get_count(struct mount *mnt)
+int mnt_get_count(struct mount *mnt)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
-	unsigned int count = 0;
+	int count = 0;
 	int cpu;
 
 	for_each_possible_cpu(cpu) {
@@ -1123,6 +1123,7 @@ static DECLARE_DELAYED_WORK(delayed_mntput_work, delayed_mntput);
 static void mntput_no_expire(struct mount *mnt)
 {
 	LIST_HEAD(list);
+	int count;
 
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	if (likely(READ_ONCE(mnt->mnt_ns))) {
@@ -1146,7 +1147,9 @@ static void mntput_no_expire(struct mount *mnt)
 	 */
 	smp_mb();
 	mnt_add_count(mnt, -1);
-	if (mnt_get_count(mnt)) {
+	count = mnt_get_count(mnt);
+	if (count != 0) {
+		WARN_ON(count < 0);
 		rcu_read_unlock();
 		unlock_mount_hash();
 		return;
diff --git a/fs/pnode.h b/fs/pnode.h
index 49a058c73e4c..26f74e092bd9 100644
--- a/fs/pnode.h
+++ b/fs/pnode.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ int propagate_mount_busy(struct mount *, int);
 void propagate_mount_unlock(struct mount *);
 void mnt_release_group_id(struct mount *);
 int get_dominating_id(struct mount *mnt, const struct path *root);
-unsigned int mnt_get_count(struct mount *mnt);
+int mnt_get_count(struct mount *mnt);
 void mnt_set_mountpoint(struct mount *, struct mountpoint *,
 			struct mount *);
 void mnt_change_mountpoint(struct mount *parent, struct mountpoint *mp,