diff --git a/fs/nfs/pnfs.c b/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
index b8d78f3933651..3bf6899cba95b 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
@@ -1332,13 +1332,15 @@ _pnfs_return_layout(struct inode *ino)
 			!valid_layout) {
 		spin_unlock(&ino->i_lock);
 		dprintk("NFS: %s no layout segments to return\n", __func__);
-		goto out_put_layout_hdr;
+		goto out_wait_layoutreturn;
 	}
 
 	send = pnfs_prepare_layoutreturn(lo, &stateid, &cred, NULL);
 	spin_unlock(&ino->i_lock);
 	if (send)
 		status = pnfs_send_layoutreturn(lo, &stateid, &cred, IOMODE_ANY, true);
+out_wait_layoutreturn:
+	wait_on_bit(&lo->plh_flags, NFS_LAYOUT_RETURN, TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE);
 out_put_layout_hdr:
 	pnfs_free_lseg_list(&tmp_list);
 	pnfs_put_layout_hdr(lo);