diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans.c
index 70f42ea86dfb..a280e126491f 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans.c
@@ -262,6 +262,28 @@ xfs_trans_alloc(
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Create an empty transaction with no reservation.  This is a defensive
+ * mechanism for routines that query metadata without actually modifying
+ * them -- if the metadata being queried is somehow cross-linked (think a
+ * btree block pointer that points higher in the tree), we risk deadlock.
+ * However, blocks grabbed as part of a transaction can be re-grabbed.
+ * The verifiers will notice the corrupt block and the operation will fail
+ * back to userspace without deadlocking.
+ *
+ * Note the zero-length reservation; this transaction MUST be cancelled
+ * without any dirty data.
+ */
+int
+xfs_trans_alloc_empty(
+	struct xfs_mount		*mp,
+	struct xfs_trans		**tpp)
+{
+	struct xfs_trans_res		resv = {0};
+
+	return xfs_trans_alloc(mp, &resv, 0, 0, XFS_TRANS_NO_WRITECOUNT, tpp);
+}
+
 /*
  * Record the indicated change to the given field for application
  * to the file system's superblock when the transaction commits.
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans.h b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans.h
index 61b7fbdd3ebd..98024cb933ef 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans.h
@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ typedef struct xfs_trans {
 int		xfs_trans_alloc(struct xfs_mount *mp, struct xfs_trans_res *resp,
 			uint blocks, uint rtextents, uint flags,
 			struct xfs_trans **tpp);
+int		xfs_trans_alloc_empty(struct xfs_mount *mp,
+			struct xfs_trans **tpp);
 void		xfs_trans_mod_sb(xfs_trans_t *, uint, int64_t);
 
 struct xfs_buf	*xfs_trans_get_buf_map(struct xfs_trans *tp,