diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/kthread.c b/fs/ecryptfs/kthread.c
index c7d199d..809e67d 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/kthread.c
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/kthread.c
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@
 
 struct ecryptfs_open_req {
 	struct file **lower_file;
-	struct dentry *lower_dentry;
-	struct vfsmount *lower_mnt;
+	struct path path;
 	struct completion done;
 	struct list_head kthread_ctl_list;
 };
@@ -74,10 +73,7 @@
 					       struct ecryptfs_open_req,
 					       kthread_ctl_list);
 			list_del(&req->kthread_ctl_list);
-			dget(req->lower_dentry);
-			mntget(req->lower_mnt);
-			(*req->lower_file) = dentry_open(
-				req->lower_dentry, req->lower_mnt,
+			*req->lower_file = dentry_open(&req->path,
 				(O_RDWR | O_LARGEFILE), current_cred());
 			complete(&req->done);
 		}
@@ -140,23 +136,22 @@
 	int flags = O_LARGEFILE;
 	int rc = 0;
 
+	init_completion(&req.done);
+	req.lower_file = lower_file;
+	req.path.dentry = lower_dentry;
+	req.path.mnt = lower_mnt;
+
 	/* Corresponding dput() and mntput() are done when the
 	 * lower file is fput() when all eCryptfs files for the inode are
 	 * released. */
-	dget(lower_dentry);
-	mntget(lower_mnt);
 	flags |= IS_RDONLY(lower_dentry->d_inode) ? O_RDONLY : O_RDWR;
-	(*lower_file) = dentry_open(lower_dentry, lower_mnt, flags, cred);
+	(*lower_file) = dentry_open(&req.path, flags, cred);
 	if (!IS_ERR(*lower_file))
 		goto out;
 	if ((flags & O_ACCMODE) == O_RDONLY) {
 		rc = PTR_ERR((*lower_file));
 		goto out;
 	}
-	init_completion(&req.done);
-	req.lower_file = lower_file;
-	req.lower_dentry = lower_dentry;
-	req.lower_mnt = lower_mnt;
 	mutex_lock(&ecryptfs_kthread_ctl.mux);
 	if (ecryptfs_kthread_ctl.flags & ECRYPTFS_KTHREAD_ZOMBIE) {
 		rc = -EIO;