diff --git a/fs/configfs/dir.c b/fs/configfs/dir.c
index 2619f485bc3d..a08e5c2f25e8 100644
--- a/fs/configfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/configfs/dir.c
@@ -37,10 +37,11 @@
 DECLARE_RWSEM(configfs_rename_sem);
 /*
  * Protects mutations of configfs_dirent linkage together with proper i_mutex
+ * Also protects mutations of symlinks linkage to target configfs_dirent
  * Mutators of configfs_dirent linkage must *both* have the proper inode locked
  * and configfs_dirent_lock locked, in that order.
- * This allows one to safely traverse configfs_dirent trees without having to
- * lock inodes.
+ * This allows one to safely traverse configfs_dirent trees and symlinks without
+ * having to lock inodes.
  */
 DEFINE_SPINLOCK(configfs_dirent_lock);
 
diff --git a/fs/configfs/symlink.c b/fs/configfs/symlink.c
index 676c84c416da..faeb4417a10d 100644
--- a/fs/configfs/symlink.c
+++ b/fs/configfs/symlink.c
@@ -77,12 +77,15 @@ static int create_link(struct config_item *parent_item,
 	sl = kmalloc(sizeof(struct configfs_symlink), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (sl) {
 		sl->sl_target = config_item_get(item);
-		/* FIXME: needs a lock, I'd bet */
+		spin_lock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 		list_add(&sl->sl_list, &target_sd->s_links);
+		spin_unlock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 		ret = configfs_create_link(sl, parent_item->ci_dentry,
 					   dentry);
 		if (ret) {
+			spin_lock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 			list_del_init(&sl->sl_list);
+			spin_unlock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 			config_item_put(item);
 			kfree(sl);
 		}
@@ -186,8 +189,9 @@ int configfs_unlink(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry)
 		type->ct_item_ops->drop_link(parent_item,
 					       sl->sl_target);
 
-	/* FIXME: Needs lock */
+	spin_lock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 	list_del_init(&sl->sl_list);
+	spin_unlock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 
 	/* Put reference from create_link() */
 	config_item_put(sl->sl_target);