diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs4_fs.h b/fs/nfs/nfs4_fs.h
index f520a1113b38b..07a8aa9cd7ee0 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs4_fs.h
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs4_fs.h
@@ -279,10 +279,10 @@ _nfs4_state_protect(struct nfs_client *clp, unsigned long sp4_mode,
 	if (test_bit(sp4_mode, &clp->cl_sp4_flags)) {
 		spin_lock(&clp->cl_lock);
 		if (clp->cl_machine_cred != NULL)
-			newcred = get_rpccred(clp->cl_machine_cred);
+			/* don't call get_rpccred on the machine cred -
+			 * a reference will be held for life of clp */
+			newcred = clp->cl_machine_cred;
 		spin_unlock(&clp->cl_lock);
-		if (msg->rpc_cred)
-			put_rpccred(msg->rpc_cred);
 		msg->rpc_cred = newcred;
 
 		flavor = clp->cl_rpcclient->cl_auth->au_flavor;