diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/Makefile b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/Makefile
index 21bb2fb5a6b83..caf00d92ea9d0 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/Makefile
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ gt-y += \
 	gt/intel_sseu.o \
 	gt/intel_timeline.o \
 	gt/intel_workarounds.o \
+	gt/shmem_utils.o \
 	gt/sysfs_engines.o
 # autogenerated null render state
 gt-y += \
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_cs.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_cs.c
index 7c3cb5aedfdf1..80bf71636c0f4 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_cs.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_cs.c
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ void intel_engine_cleanup_common(struct intel_engine_cs *engine)
 	intel_engine_cleanup_cmd_parser(engine);
 
 	if (engine->default_state)
-		i915_gem_object_put(engine->default_state);
+		fput(engine->default_state);
 
 	if (engine->kernel_context) {
 		intel_context_unpin(engine->kernel_context);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_pm.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_pm.c
index 3be679741d226..446e35ac02244 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_pm.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_pm.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "intel_gt_pm.h"
 #include "intel_rc6.h"
 #include "intel_ring.h"
+#include "shmem_utils.h"
 
 static int __engine_unpark(struct intel_wakeref *wf)
 {
@@ -30,10 +31,8 @@ static int __engine_unpark(struct intel_wakeref *wf)
 	/* Pin the default state for fast resets from atomic context. */
 	map = NULL;
 	if (engine->default_state)
-		map = i915_gem_object_pin_map(engine->default_state,
-					      I915_MAP_WB);
-	if (!IS_ERR_OR_NULL(map))
-		engine->pinned_default_state = map;
+		map = shmem_pin_map(engine->default_state);
+	engine->pinned_default_state = map;
 
 	/* Discard stale context state from across idling */
 	ce = engine->kernel_context;
@@ -264,7 +263,8 @@ static int __engine_park(struct intel_wakeref *wf)
 		engine->park(engine);
 
 	if (engine->pinned_default_state) {
-		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(engine->default_state);
+		shmem_unpin_map(engine->default_state,
+				engine->pinned_default_state);
 		engine->pinned_default_state = NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_types.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_types.h
index cfe4feaee9827..483d8ff39a0d2 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_types.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_engine_types.h
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ struct intel_engine_cs {
 
 	unsigned long wakeref_serial;
 	struct intel_wakeref wakeref;
-	struct drm_i915_gem_object *default_state;
+	struct file *default_state;
 	void *pinned_default_state;
 
 	struct {
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_gt.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_gt.c
index d9cf8194c9977..52593edf8aa0d 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_gt.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_gt.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "intel_rps.h"
 #include "intel_uncore.h"
 #include "intel_pm.h"
+#include "shmem_utils.h"
 
 void intel_gt_init_early(struct intel_gt *gt, struct drm_i915_private *i915)
 {
@@ -371,18 +372,6 @@ static struct i915_address_space *kernel_vm(struct intel_gt *gt)
 		return i915_vm_get(&gt->ggtt->vm);
 }
 
-static int __intel_context_flush_retire(struct intel_context *ce)
-{
-	struct intel_timeline *tl;
-
-	tl = intel_context_timeline_lock(ce);
-	if (IS_ERR(tl))
-		return PTR_ERR(tl);
-
-	intel_context_timeline_unlock(tl);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int __engines_record_defaults(struct intel_gt *gt)
 {
 	struct i915_request *requests[I915_NUM_ENGINES] = {};
@@ -448,8 +437,7 @@ static int __engines_record_defaults(struct intel_gt *gt)
 
 	for (id = 0; id < ARRAY_SIZE(requests); id++) {
 		struct i915_request *rq;
-		struct i915_vma *state;
-		void *vaddr;
+		struct file *state;
 
 		rq = requests[id];
 		if (!rq)
@@ -461,48 +449,16 @@ static int __engines_record_defaults(struct intel_gt *gt)
 		}
 
 		GEM_BUG_ON(!test_bit(CONTEXT_ALLOC_BIT, &rq->context->flags));
-		state = rq->context->state;
-		if (!state)
+		if (!rq->context->state)
 			continue;
 
-		/* Serialise with retirement on another CPU */
-		GEM_BUG_ON(!i915_request_completed(rq));
-		err = __intel_context_flush_retire(rq->context);
-		if (err)
-			goto out;
-
-		/* We want to be able to unbind the state from the GGTT */
-		GEM_BUG_ON(intel_context_is_pinned(rq->context));
-
-		/*
-		 * As we will hold a reference to the logical state, it will
-		 * not be torn down with the context, and importantly the
-		 * object will hold onto its vma (making it possible for a
-		 * stray GTT write to corrupt our defaults). Unmap the vma
-		 * from the GTT to prevent such accidents and reclaim the
-		 * space.
-		 */
-		err = i915_vma_unbind(state);
-		if (err)
-			goto out;
-
-		i915_gem_object_lock(state->obj);
-		err = i915_gem_object_set_to_cpu_domain(state->obj, false);
-		i915_gem_object_unlock(state->obj);
-		if (err)
-			goto out;
-
-		i915_gem_object_set_cache_coherency(state->obj, I915_CACHE_LLC);
-
-		/* Check we can acquire the image of the context state */
-		vaddr = i915_gem_object_pin_map(state->obj, I915_MAP_FORCE_WB);
-		if (IS_ERR(vaddr)) {
-			err = PTR_ERR(vaddr);
+		/* Keep a copy of the state's backing pages; free the obj */
+		state = shmem_create_from_object(rq->context->state->obj);
+		if (IS_ERR(state)) {
+			err = PTR_ERR(state);
 			goto out;
 		}
-
-		rq->engine->default_state = i915_gem_object_get(state->obj);
-		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(state->obj);
+		rq->engine->default_state = state;
 	}
 
 out:
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
index 90acc3d2440b8..7fc4081c34feb 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@
 #include "intel_reset.h"
 #include "intel_ring.h"
 #include "intel_workarounds.h"
+#include "shmem_utils.h"
 
 #define RING_EXECLIST_QFULL		(1 << 0x2)
 #define RING_EXECLIST1_VALID		(1 << 0x3)
@@ -5083,30 +5084,18 @@ populate_lr_context(struct intel_context *ce,
 {
 	bool inhibit = true;
 	void *vaddr;
-	int ret;
 
 	vaddr = i915_gem_object_pin_map(ctx_obj, I915_MAP_WB);
 	if (IS_ERR(vaddr)) {
-		ret = PTR_ERR(vaddr);
-		drm_dbg(&engine->i915->drm,
-			"Could not map object pages! (%d)\n", ret);
-		return ret;
+		drm_dbg(&engine->i915->drm, "Could not map object pages!\n");
+		return PTR_ERR(vaddr);
 	}
 
 	set_redzone(vaddr, engine);
 
 	if (engine->default_state) {
-		void *defaults;
-
-		defaults = i915_gem_object_pin_map(engine->default_state,
-						   I915_MAP_WB);
-		if (IS_ERR(defaults)) {
-			ret = PTR_ERR(defaults);
-			goto err_unpin_ctx;
-		}
-
-		memcpy(vaddr, defaults, engine->context_size);
-		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(engine->default_state);
+		shmem_read(engine->default_state, 0,
+			   vaddr, engine->context_size);
 		__set_bit(CONTEXT_VALID_BIT, &ce->flags);
 		inhibit = false;
 	}
@@ -5121,11 +5110,9 @@ populate_lr_context(struct intel_context *ce,
 	execlists_init_reg_state(vaddr + LRC_STATE_OFFSET,
 				 ce, engine, ring, inhibit);
 
-	ret = 0;
-err_unpin_ctx:
 	__i915_gem_object_flush_map(ctx_obj, 0, engine->context_size);
 	i915_gem_object_unpin_map(ctx_obj);
-	return ret;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int __execlists_context_alloc(struct intel_context *ce,
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_ring_submission.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_ring_submission.c
index d015f7b8b28ec..ca7286e584092 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_ring_submission.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_ring_submission.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #include "intel_reset.h"
 #include "intel_ring.h"
 #include "intel_workarounds.h"
+#include "shmem_utils.h"
 
 /* Rough estimate of the typical request size, performing a flush,
  * set-context and then emitting the batch.
@@ -1241,7 +1242,7 @@ alloc_context_vma(struct intel_engine_cs *engine)
 		i915_gem_object_set_cache_coherency(obj, I915_CACHE_L3_LLC);
 
 	if (engine->default_state) {
-		void *defaults, *vaddr;
+		void *vaddr;
 
 		vaddr = i915_gem_object_pin_map(obj, I915_MAP_WB);
 		if (IS_ERR(vaddr)) {
@@ -1249,15 +1250,8 @@ alloc_context_vma(struct intel_engine_cs *engine)
 			goto err_obj;
 		}
 
-		defaults = i915_gem_object_pin_map(engine->default_state,
-						   I915_MAP_WB);
-		if (IS_ERR(defaults)) {
-			err = PTR_ERR(defaults);
-			goto err_map;
-		}
-
-		memcpy(vaddr, defaults, engine->context_size);
-		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(engine->default_state);
+		shmem_read(engine->default_state, 0,
+			   vaddr, engine->context_size);
 
 		i915_gem_object_flush_map(obj);
 		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(obj);
@@ -1271,8 +1265,6 @@ alloc_context_vma(struct intel_engine_cs *engine)
 
 	return vma;
 
-err_map:
-	i915_gem_object_unpin_map(obj);
 err_obj:
 	i915_gem_object_put(obj);
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/selftest_context.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/selftest_context.c
index e874dfaa53168..b8ed3cbe12779 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/selftest_context.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/selftest_context.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ static int live_context_size(void *arg)
 
 	for_each_engine(engine, gt, id) {
 		struct {
-			struct drm_i915_gem_object *state;
+			struct file *state;
 			void *pinned;
 		} saved;
 
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/selftest_lrc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/selftest_lrc.c
index c4bfad5c49dea..7529df92f6a29 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/selftest_lrc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/selftest_lrc.c
@@ -4452,8 +4452,7 @@ static int live_lrc_layout(void *arg)
 		if (!engine->default_state)
 			continue;
 
-		hw = i915_gem_object_pin_map(engine->default_state,
-					     I915_MAP_WB);
+		hw = shmem_pin_map(engine->default_state);
 		if (IS_ERR(hw)) {
 			err = PTR_ERR(hw);
 			break;
@@ -4525,7 +4524,7 @@ static int live_lrc_layout(void *arg)
 			hexdump(lrc, PAGE_SIZE);
 		}
 
-		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(engine->default_state);
+		shmem_unpin_map(engine->default_state, hw);
 		if (err)
 			break;
 	}
@@ -4630,8 +4629,7 @@ static int live_lrc_fixed(void *arg)
 		if (!engine->default_state)
 			continue;
 
-		hw = i915_gem_object_pin_map(engine->default_state,
-					     I915_MAP_WB);
+		hw = shmem_pin_map(engine->default_state);
 		if (IS_ERR(hw)) {
 			err = PTR_ERR(hw);
 			break;
@@ -4652,7 +4650,7 @@ static int live_lrc_fixed(void *arg)
 			}
 		}
 
-		i915_gem_object_unpin_map(engine->default_state);
+		shmem_unpin_map(engine->default_state, hw);
 	}
 
 	return err;
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/shmem_utils.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/shmem_utils.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..43c7acbdc79de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/shmem_utils.c
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+/*
+ * Copyright © 2020 Intel Corporation
+ */
+
+#include <linux/mm.h>
+#include <linux/pagemap.h>
+#include <linux/shmem_fs.h>
+
+#include "gem/i915_gem_object.h"
+#include "shmem_utils.h"
+
+struct file *shmem_create_from_data(const char *name, void *data, size_t len)
+{
+	struct file *file;
+	int err;
+
+	file = shmem_file_setup(name, PAGE_ALIGN(len), VM_NORESERVE);
+	if (IS_ERR(file))
+		return file;
+
+	err = shmem_write(file, 0, data, len);
+	if (err) {
+		fput(file);
+		return ERR_PTR(err);
+	}
+
+	return file;
+}
+
+struct file *shmem_create_from_object(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj)
+{
+	struct file *file;
+	void *ptr;
+
+	if (obj->ops == &i915_gem_shmem_ops) {
+		file = obj->base.filp;
+		atomic_long_inc(&file->f_count);
+		return file;
+	}
+
+	ptr = i915_gem_object_pin_map(obj, I915_MAP_WB);
+	if (IS_ERR(ptr))
+		return ERR_CAST(ptr);
+
+	file = shmem_create_from_data("", ptr, obj->base.size);
+	i915_gem_object_unpin_map(obj);
+
+	return file;
+}
+
+static size_t shmem_npte(struct file *file)
+{
+	return file->f_mapping->host->i_size >> PAGE_SHIFT;
+}
+
+static void __shmem_unpin_map(struct file *file, void *ptr, size_t n_pte)
+{
+	unsigned long pfn;
+
+	vunmap(ptr);
+
+	for (pfn = 0; pfn < n_pte; pfn++) {
+		struct page *page;
+
+		page = shmem_read_mapping_page_gfp(file->f_mapping, pfn,
+						   GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (!WARN_ON(IS_ERR(page))) {
+			put_page(page);
+			put_page(page);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+void *shmem_pin_map(struct file *file)
+{
+	const size_t n_pte = shmem_npte(file);
+	pte_t *stack[32], **ptes, **mem;
+	struct vm_struct *area;
+	unsigned long pfn;
+
+	mem = stack;
+	if (n_pte > ARRAY_SIZE(stack)) {
+		mem = kvmalloc_array(n_pte, sizeof(*mem), GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (!mem)
+			return NULL;
+	}
+
+	area = alloc_vm_area(n_pte << PAGE_SHIFT, mem);
+	if (!area) {
+		if (mem != stack)
+			kvfree(mem);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	ptes = mem;
+	for (pfn = 0; pfn < n_pte; pfn++) {
+		struct page *page;
+
+		page = shmem_read_mapping_page_gfp(file->f_mapping, pfn,
+						   GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (IS_ERR(page))
+			goto err_page;
+
+		**ptes++ = mk_pte(page,  PAGE_KERNEL);
+	}
+
+	if (mem != stack)
+		kvfree(mem);
+
+	mapping_set_unevictable(file->f_mapping);
+	return area->addr;
+
+err_page:
+	if (mem != stack)
+		kvfree(mem);
+
+	__shmem_unpin_map(file, area->addr, pfn);
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+void shmem_unpin_map(struct file *file, void *ptr)
+{
+	mapping_clear_unevictable(file->f_mapping);
+	__shmem_unpin_map(file, ptr, shmem_npte(file));
+}
+
+static int __shmem_rw(struct file *file, loff_t off,
+		      void *ptr, size_t len,
+		      bool write)
+{
+	unsigned long pfn;
+
+	for (pfn = off >> PAGE_SHIFT; len; pfn++) {
+		unsigned int this =
+			min_t(size_t, PAGE_SIZE - offset_in_page(off), len);
+		struct page *page;
+		void *vaddr;
+
+		page = shmem_read_mapping_page_gfp(file->f_mapping, pfn,
+						   GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (IS_ERR(page))
+			return PTR_ERR(page);
+
+		vaddr = kmap(page);
+		if (write)
+			memcpy(vaddr + offset_in_page(off), ptr, this);
+		else
+			memcpy(ptr, vaddr + offset_in_page(off), this);
+		kunmap(page);
+		put_page(page);
+
+		len -= this;
+		ptr += this;
+		off = 0;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int shmem_read(struct file *file, loff_t off, void *dst, size_t len)
+{
+	return __shmem_rw(file, off, dst, len, false);
+}
+
+int shmem_write(struct file *file, loff_t off, void *src, size_t len)
+{
+	return __shmem_rw(file, off, src, len, true);
+}
+
+#if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DRM_I915_SELFTEST)
+#include "st_shmem_utils.c"
+#endif
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/shmem_utils.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/shmem_utils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c1669170c351e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/shmem_utils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT */
+/*
+ * Copyright © 2020 Intel Corporation
+ */
+
+#ifndef SHMEM_UTILS_H
+#define SHMEM_UTILS_H
+
+#include <linux/types.h>
+
+struct drm_i915_gem_object;
+struct file;
+
+struct file *shmem_create_from_data(const char *name, void *data, size_t len);
+struct file *shmem_create_from_object(struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj);
+
+void *shmem_pin_map(struct file *file);
+void shmem_unpin_map(struct file *file, void *ptr);
+
+int shmem_read(struct file *file, loff_t off, void *dst, size_t len);
+int shmem_write(struct file *file, loff_t off, void *src, size_t len);
+
+#endif /* SHMEM_UTILS_H */
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/st_shmem_utils.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/st_shmem_utils.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b279fe88b70ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/st_shmem_utils.c
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+/*
+ * Copyright © 2020 Intel Corporation
+ */
+
+/* Just a quick and causal check of the shmem_utils API */
+
+static int igt_shmem_basic(void *ignored)
+{
+	u32 datum = 0xdeadbeef, result;
+	struct file *file;
+	u32 *map;
+	int err;
+
+	file = shmem_create_from_data("mock", &datum, sizeof(datum));
+	if (IS_ERR(file))
+		return PTR_ERR(file);
+
+	result = 0;
+	err = shmem_read(file, 0, &result, sizeof(result));
+	if (err)
+		goto out_file;
+
+	if (result != datum) {
+		pr_err("Incorrect read back from shmemfs: %x != %x\n",
+		       result, datum);
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto out_file;
+	}
+
+	result = 0xc0ffee;
+	err = shmem_write(file, 0, &result, sizeof(result));
+	if (err)
+		goto out_file;
+
+	map = shmem_pin_map(file);
+	if (!map) {
+		err = -ENOMEM;
+		goto out_file;
+	}
+
+	if (*map != result) {
+		pr_err("Incorrect read back via mmap of last write: %x != %x\n",
+		       *map, result);
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto out_map;
+	}
+
+out_map:
+	shmem_unpin_map(file, map);
+out_file:
+	fput(file);
+	return err;
+}
+
+int shmem_utils_mock_selftests(void)
+{
+	static const struct i915_subtest tests[] = {
+		SUBTEST(igt_shmem_basic),
+	};
+
+	return i915_subtests(tests, NULL);
+}
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gpu_error.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gpu_error.c
index a976cd67b3b31..eec292d06f115 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gpu_error.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915_gpu_error.c
@@ -1320,26 +1320,6 @@ capture_user(struct intel_engine_capture_vma *capture,
 	return capture;
 }
 
-static struct i915_vma_coredump *
-capture_object(const struct intel_gt *gt,
-	       struct drm_i915_gem_object *obj,
-	       const char *name,
-	       struct i915_vma_compress *compress)
-{
-	if (obj && i915_gem_object_has_pages(obj)) {
-		struct i915_vma fake = {
-			.node = { .start = U64_MAX, .size = obj->base.size },
-			.size = obj->base.size,
-			.pages = obj->mm.pages,
-			.obj = obj,
-		};
-
-		return i915_vma_coredump_create(gt, &fake, name, compress);
-	} else {
-		return NULL;
-	}
-}
-
 static void add_vma(struct intel_engine_coredump *ee,
 		    struct i915_vma_coredump *vma)
 {
@@ -1428,12 +1408,6 @@ intel_engine_coredump_add_vma(struct intel_engine_coredump *ee,
 					 engine->wa_ctx.vma,
 					 "WA context",
 					 compress));
-
-	add_vma(ee,
-		capture_object(engine->gt,
-			       engine->default_state,
-			       "NULL context",
-			       compress));
 }
 
 static struct intel_engine_coredump *
diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_mock_selftests.h b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_mock_selftests.h
index 5b39bab4da1d0..6a2be7d0dd956 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_mock_selftests.h
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/selftests/i915_mock_selftests.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
  * Tests are executed in order by igt/drv_selftest
  */
 selftest(sanitycheck, i915_mock_sanitycheck) /* keep first (igt selfcheck) */
+selftest(shmem, shmem_utils_mock_selftests)
 selftest(fence, i915_sw_fence_mock_selftests)
 selftest(scatterlist, scatterlist_mock_selftests)
 selftest(syncmap, i915_syncmap_mock_selftests)