diff --git a/net/smc/af_smc.c b/net/smc/af_smc.c
index 1c0fe9ba53584..b163266e581ad 100644
--- a/net/smc/af_smc.c
+++ b/net/smc/af_smc.c
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ static int smcr_lgr_reg_sndbufs(struct smc_link *link,
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	/* protect against parallel smcr_link_reg_buf() */
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	for (i = 0; i < SMC_LINKS_PER_LGR_MAX; i++) {
 		if (!smc_link_active(&lgr->lnk[i]))
 			continue;
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ static int smcr_lgr_reg_sndbufs(struct smc_link *link,
 		if (rc)
 			break;
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -519,15 +519,30 @@ static int smcr_lgr_reg_rmbs(struct smc_link *link,
 			     struct smc_buf_desc *rmb_desc)
 {
 	struct smc_link_group *lgr = link->lgr;
+	bool do_slow = false;
 	int i, rc = 0;
 
 	rc = smc_llc_flow_initiate(lgr, SMC_LLC_FLOW_RKEY);
 	if (rc)
 		return rc;
+
+	down_read(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	for (i = 0; i < SMC_LINKS_PER_LGR_MAX; i++) {
+		if (!smc_link_active(&lgr->lnk[i]))
+			continue;
+		if (!rmb_desc->is_reg_mr[link->link_idx]) {
+			up_read(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+			goto slow_path;
+		}
+	}
+	/* mr register already */
+	goto fast_path;
+slow_path:
+	do_slow = true;
 	/* protect against parallel smc_llc_cli_rkey_exchange() and
 	 * parallel smcr_link_reg_buf()
 	 */
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	for (i = 0; i < SMC_LINKS_PER_LGR_MAX; i++) {
 		if (!smc_link_active(&lgr->lnk[i]))
 			continue;
@@ -535,7 +550,7 @@ static int smcr_lgr_reg_rmbs(struct smc_link *link,
 		if (rc)
 			goto out;
 	}
-
+fast_path:
 	/* exchange confirm_rkey msg with peer */
 	rc = smc_llc_do_confirm_rkey(link, rmb_desc);
 	if (rc) {
@@ -544,7 +559,7 @@ static int smcr_lgr_reg_rmbs(struct smc_link *link,
 	}
 	rmb_desc->is_conf_rkey = true;
 out:
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	do_slow ? up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex) : up_read(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	smc_llc_flow_stop(lgr, &lgr->llc_flow_lcl);
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.c b/net/smc/smc_core.c
index 7642b16c41d19..b330a1fa453e3 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.c
@@ -854,8 +854,8 @@ static int smc_lgr_create(struct smc_sock *smc, struct smc_init_info *ini)
 	lgr->freeing = 0;
 	lgr->vlan_id = ini->vlan_id;
 	refcount_set(&lgr->refcnt, 1); /* set lgr refcnt to 1 */
-	mutex_init(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
-	mutex_init(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	init_rwsem(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+	init_rwsem(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	rwlock_init(&lgr->conns_lock);
 	for (i = 0; i < SMC_RMBE_SIZES; i++) {
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&lgr->sndbufs[i]);
@@ -1098,7 +1098,7 @@ struct smc_link *smc_switch_conns(struct smc_link_group *lgr,
 static void smcr_buf_unuse(struct smc_buf_desc *buf_desc, bool is_rmb,
 			   struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 {
-	struct mutex *lock;	/* lock buffer list */
+	struct rw_semaphore *lock;	/* lock buffer list */
 	int rc;
 
 	if (is_rmb && buf_desc->is_conf_rkey && !list_empty(&lgr->list)) {
@@ -1106,10 +1106,10 @@ static void smcr_buf_unuse(struct smc_buf_desc *buf_desc, bool is_rmb,
 		rc = smc_llc_flow_initiate(lgr, SMC_LLC_FLOW_RKEY);
 		if (!rc) {
 			/* protect against smc_llc_cli_rkey_exchange() */
-			mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+			down_read(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 			smc_llc_do_delete_rkey(lgr, buf_desc);
 			buf_desc->is_conf_rkey = false;
-			mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+			up_read(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 			smc_llc_flow_stop(lgr, &lgr->llc_flow_lcl);
 		}
 	}
@@ -1118,9 +1118,9 @@ static void smcr_buf_unuse(struct smc_buf_desc *buf_desc, bool is_rmb,
 		/* buf registration failed, reuse not possible */
 		lock = is_rmb ? &lgr->rmbs_lock :
 				&lgr->sndbufs_lock;
-		mutex_lock(lock);
+		down_write(lock);
 		list_del(&buf_desc->list);
-		mutex_unlock(lock);
+		up_write(lock);
 
 		smc_buf_free(lgr, is_rmb, buf_desc);
 	} else {
@@ -1224,15 +1224,16 @@ static void smcr_buf_unmap_lgr(struct smc_link *lnk)
 	int i;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < SMC_RMBE_SIZES; i++) {
-		mutex_lock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+		down_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 		list_for_each_entry_safe(buf_desc, bf, &lgr->rmbs[i], list)
 			smcr_buf_unmap_link(buf_desc, true, lnk);
-		mutex_unlock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
-		mutex_lock(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+		up_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+
+		down_write(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
 		list_for_each_entry_safe(buf_desc, bf, &lgr->sndbufs[i],
 					 list)
 			smcr_buf_unmap_link(buf_desc, false, lnk);
-		mutex_unlock(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+		up_write(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1377,12 +1378,12 @@ static void smc_lgr_free(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 	int i;
 
 	if (!lgr->is_smcd) {
-		mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+		down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 		for (i = 0; i < SMC_LINKS_PER_LGR_MAX; i++) {
 			if (lgr->lnk[i].state != SMC_LNK_UNUSED)
 				smcr_link_clear(&lgr->lnk[i], false);
 		}
-		mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+		up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 		smc_llc_lgr_clear(lgr);
 	}
 
@@ -1696,12 +1697,12 @@ static void smcr_link_down(struct smc_link *lnk)
 	} else {
 		if (lgr->llc_flow_lcl.type != SMC_LLC_FLOW_NONE) {
 			/* another llc task is ongoing */
-			mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+			up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 			wait_event_timeout(lgr->llc_flow_waiter,
 				(list_empty(&lgr->list) ||
 				 lgr->llc_flow_lcl.type == SMC_LLC_FLOW_NONE),
 				SMC_LLC_WAIT_TIME);
-			mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+			down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 		}
 		if (!list_empty(&lgr->list)) {
 			smc_llc_send_delete_link(to_lnk, del_link_id,
@@ -1761,9 +1762,9 @@ static void smc_link_down_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	if (list_empty(&lgr->list))
 		return;
 	wake_up_all(&lgr->llc_msg_waiter);
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	smcr_link_down(link);
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 }
 
 static int smc_vlan_by_tcpsk_walk(struct net_device *lower_dev,
@@ -1990,19 +1991,19 @@ int smc_uncompress_bufsize(u8 compressed)
  * buffer size; if not available, return NULL
  */
 static struct smc_buf_desc *smc_buf_get_slot(int compressed_bufsize,
-					     struct mutex *lock,
+					     struct rw_semaphore *lock,
 					     struct list_head *buf_list)
 {
 	struct smc_buf_desc *buf_slot;
 
-	mutex_lock(lock);
+	down_read(lock);
 	list_for_each_entry(buf_slot, buf_list, list) {
 		if (cmpxchg(&buf_slot->used, 0, 1) == 0) {
-			mutex_unlock(lock);
+			up_read(lock);
 			return buf_slot;
 		}
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(lock);
+	up_read(lock);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -2111,13 +2112,13 @@ int smcr_link_reg_buf(struct smc_link *link, struct smc_buf_desc *buf_desc)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int _smcr_buf_map_lgr(struct smc_link *lnk, struct mutex *lock,
+static int _smcr_buf_map_lgr(struct smc_link *lnk, struct rw_semaphore *lock,
 			     struct list_head *lst, bool is_rmb)
 {
 	struct smc_buf_desc *buf_desc, *bf;
 	int rc = 0;
 
-	mutex_lock(lock);
+	down_write(lock);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(buf_desc, bf, lst, list) {
 		if (!buf_desc->used)
 			continue;
@@ -2126,7 +2127,7 @@ static int _smcr_buf_map_lgr(struct smc_link *lnk, struct mutex *lock,
 			goto out;
 	}
 out:
-	mutex_unlock(lock);
+	up_write(lock);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -2159,37 +2160,37 @@ int smcr_buf_reg_lgr(struct smc_link *lnk)
 	int i, rc = 0;
 
 	/* reg all RMBs for a new link */
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	down_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	for (i = 0; i < SMC_RMBE_SIZES; i++) {
 		list_for_each_entry_safe(buf_desc, bf, &lgr->rmbs[i], list) {
 			if (!buf_desc->used)
 				continue;
 			rc = smcr_link_reg_buf(lnk, buf_desc);
 			if (rc) {
-				mutex_unlock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+				up_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 				return rc;
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	up_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 
 	if (lgr->buf_type == SMCR_PHYS_CONT_BUFS)
 		return rc;
 
 	/* reg all vzalloced sndbufs for a new link */
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+	down_write(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
 	for (i = 0; i < SMC_RMBE_SIZES; i++) {
 		list_for_each_entry_safe(buf_desc, bf, &lgr->sndbufs[i], list) {
 			if (!buf_desc->used || !buf_desc->is_vm)
 				continue;
 			rc = smcr_link_reg_buf(lnk, buf_desc);
 			if (rc) {
-				mutex_unlock(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+				up_write(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
 				return rc;
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+	up_write(&lgr->sndbufs_lock);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -2247,7 +2248,7 @@ static int smcr_buf_map_usable_links(struct smc_link_group *lgr,
 	int i, rc = 0, cnt = 0;
 
 	/* protect against parallel link reconfiguration */
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	down_read(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	for (i = 0; i < SMC_LINKS_PER_LGR_MAX; i++) {
 		struct smc_link *lnk = &lgr->lnk[i];
 
@@ -2260,7 +2261,7 @@ static int smcr_buf_map_usable_links(struct smc_link_group *lgr,
 		cnt++;
 	}
 out:
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	up_read(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	if (!rc && !cnt)
 		rc = -EINVAL;
 	return rc;
@@ -2309,8 +2310,8 @@ static int __smc_buf_create(struct smc_sock *smc, bool is_smcd, bool is_rmb)
 	struct smc_link_group *lgr = conn->lgr;
 	struct list_head *buf_list;
 	int bufsize, bufsize_short;
+	struct rw_semaphore *lock;	/* lock buffer list */
 	bool is_dgraded = false;
-	struct mutex *lock;	/* lock buffer list */
 	int sk_buf_size;
 
 	if (is_rmb)
@@ -2358,9 +2359,9 @@ static int __smc_buf_create(struct smc_sock *smc, bool is_smcd, bool is_rmb)
 		SMC_STAT_RMB_ALLOC(smc, is_smcd, is_rmb);
 		SMC_STAT_RMB_SIZE(smc, is_smcd, is_rmb, bufsize);
 		buf_desc->used = 1;
-		mutex_lock(lock);
+		down_write(lock);
 		list_add(&buf_desc->list, buf_list);
-		mutex_unlock(lock);
+		up_write(lock);
 		break; /* found */
 	}
 
@@ -2434,9 +2435,9 @@ int smc_buf_create(struct smc_sock *smc, bool is_smcd)
 	/* create rmb */
 	rc = __smc_buf_create(smc, is_smcd, true);
 	if (rc) {
-		mutex_lock(&smc->conn.lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+		down_write(&smc->conn.lgr->sndbufs_lock);
 		list_del(&smc->conn.sndbuf_desc->list);
-		mutex_unlock(&smc->conn.lgr->sndbufs_lock);
+		up_write(&smc->conn.lgr->sndbufs_lock);
 		smc_buf_free(smc->conn.lgr, false, smc->conn.sndbuf_desc);
 		smc->conn.sndbuf_desc = NULL;
 	}
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_core.h b/net/smc/smc_core.h
index 285f9bd8e232e..08b457c2d2942 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_core.h
+++ b/net/smc/smc_core.h
@@ -252,9 +252,9 @@ struct smc_link_group {
 	unsigned short		vlan_id;	/* vlan id of link group */
 
 	struct list_head	sndbufs[SMC_RMBE_SIZES];/* tx buffers */
-	struct mutex		sndbufs_lock;	/* protects tx buffers */
+	struct rw_semaphore	sndbufs_lock;	/* protects tx buffers */
 	struct list_head	rmbs[SMC_RMBE_SIZES];	/* rx buffers */
-	struct mutex		rmbs_lock;	/* protects rx buffers */
+	struct rw_semaphore	rmbs_lock;	/* protects rx buffers */
 
 	u8			id[SMC_LGR_ID_SIZE];	/* unique lgr id */
 	struct delayed_work	free_work;	/* delayed freeing of an lgr */
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ struct smc_link_group {
 						/* queue for llc events */
 			spinlock_t		llc_event_q_lock;
 						/* protects llc_event_q */
-			struct mutex		llc_conf_mutex;
+			struct rw_semaphore	llc_conf_mutex;
 						/* protects lgr reconfig. */
 			struct work_struct	llc_add_link_work;
 			struct work_struct	llc_del_link_work;
diff --git a/net/smc/smc_llc.c b/net/smc/smc_llc.c
index 524649d0ab652..a0840b8c935b8 100644
--- a/net/smc/smc_llc.c
+++ b/net/smc/smc_llc.c
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ static int smc_llc_fill_ext_v2(struct smc_llc_msg_add_link_v2_ext *ext,
 
 	prim_lnk_idx = link->link_idx;
 	lnk_idx = link_new->link_idx;
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	down_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	ext->num_rkeys = lgr->conns_num;
 	if (!ext->num_rkeys)
 		goto out;
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ static int smc_llc_fill_ext_v2(struct smc_llc_msg_add_link_v2_ext *ext,
 	}
 	len += i * sizeof(ext->rt[0]);
 out:
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	up_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	return len;
 }
 
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ static int smc_llc_cli_rkey_exchange(struct smc_link *link,
 	int rc = 0;
 	int i;
 
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	down_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	num_rkeys_send = lgr->conns_num;
 	buf_pos = smc_llc_get_first_rmb(lgr, &buf_lst);
 	do {
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ static int smc_llc_cli_rkey_exchange(struct smc_link *link,
 			break;
 	} while (num_rkeys_send || num_rkeys_recv);
 
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	up_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -999,14 +999,14 @@ static void smc_llc_save_add_link_rkeys(struct smc_link *link,
 	ext = (struct smc_llc_msg_add_link_v2_ext *)((u8 *)lgr->wr_rx_buf_v2 +
 						     SMC_WR_TX_SIZE);
 	max = min_t(u8, ext->num_rkeys, SMC_LLC_RKEYS_PER_MSG_V2);
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	down_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	for (i = 0; i < max; i++) {
 		smc_rtoken_set(lgr, link->link_idx, link_new->link_idx,
 			       ext->rt[i].rmb_key,
 			       ext->rt[i].rmb_vaddr_new,
 			       ext->rt[i].rmb_key_new);
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	up_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 }
 
 static void smc_llc_save_add_link_info(struct smc_link *link,
@@ -1202,12 +1202,12 @@ static void smc_llc_process_cli_add_link(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 
 	qentry = smc_llc_flow_qentry_clr(&lgr->llc_flow_lcl);
 
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	if (smc_llc_is_local_add_link(&qentry->msg))
 		smc_llc_cli_add_link_invite(qentry->link, qentry);
 	else
 		smc_llc_cli_add_link(qentry->link, qentry);
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 }
 
 static int smc_llc_active_link_count(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
@@ -1313,7 +1313,7 @@ static int smc_llc_srv_rkey_exchange(struct smc_link *link,
 	int rc = 0;
 	int i;
 
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	down_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	num_rkeys_send = lgr->conns_num;
 	buf_pos = smc_llc_get_first_rmb(lgr, &buf_lst);
 	do {
@@ -1338,7 +1338,7 @@ static int smc_llc_srv_rkey_exchange(struct smc_link *link,
 		smc_llc_flow_qentry_del(&lgr->llc_flow_lcl);
 	} while (num_rkeys_send || num_rkeys_recv);
 out:
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
+	up_write(&lgr->rmbs_lock);
 	return rc;
 }
 
@@ -1509,13 +1509,13 @@ static void smc_llc_process_srv_add_link(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 
 	qentry = smc_llc_flow_qentry_clr(&lgr->llc_flow_lcl);
 
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	rc = smc_llc_srv_add_link(link, qentry);
 	if (!rc && lgr->type == SMC_LGR_SYMMETRIC) {
 		/* delete any asymmetric link */
 		smc_llc_delete_asym_link(lgr);
 	}
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	kfree(qentry);
 }
 
@@ -1582,7 +1582,7 @@ static void smc_llc_process_cli_delete_link(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 		smc_lgr_terminate_sched(lgr);
 		goto out;
 	}
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	/* delete single link */
 	for (lnk_idx = 0; lnk_idx < SMC_LINKS_PER_LGR_MAX; lnk_idx++) {
 		if (lgr->lnk[lnk_idx].link_id != del_llc->link_num)
@@ -1616,7 +1616,7 @@ static void smc_llc_process_cli_delete_link(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 		smc_lgr_terminate_sched(lgr);
 	}
 out_unlock:
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 out:
 	kfree(qentry);
 }
@@ -1652,7 +1652,7 @@ static void smc_llc_process_srv_delete_link(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 	int active_links;
 	int i;
 
-	mutex_lock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	down_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	qentry = smc_llc_flow_qentry_clr(&lgr->llc_flow_lcl);
 	lnk = qentry->link;
 	del_llc = &qentry->msg.delete_link;
@@ -1708,7 +1708,7 @@ static void smc_llc_process_srv_delete_link(struct smc_link_group *lgr)
 		smc_llc_add_link_local(lnk);
 	}
 out:
-	mutex_unlock(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	up_write(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	kfree(qentry);
 }
 
@@ -2126,7 +2126,7 @@ void smc_llc_lgr_init(struct smc_link_group *lgr, struct smc_sock *smc)
 	spin_lock_init(&lgr->llc_flow_lock);
 	init_waitqueue_head(&lgr->llc_flow_waiter);
 	init_waitqueue_head(&lgr->llc_msg_waiter);
-	mutex_init(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
+	init_rwsem(&lgr->llc_conf_mutex);
 	lgr->llc_testlink_time = READ_ONCE(net->smc.sysctl_smcr_testlink_time);
 }