+static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(sysctl_lock);
+
+/* called under sysctl_lock */
+static int use_table(struct ctl_table_header *p)
+{
+ if (unlikely(p->unregistering))
+ return 0;
+ p->used++;
+ return 1;
+}
+
+/* called under sysctl_lock */
+static void unuse_table(struct ctl_table_header *p)
+{
+ if (!--p->used)
+ if (unlikely(p->unregistering))
+ complete(p->unregistering);
+}
+
+/* called under sysctl_lock, will reacquire if has to wait */
+static void start_unregistering(struct ctl_table_header *p)
+{
+ /*
+ * if p->used is 0, nobody will ever touch that entry again;
+ * we'll eliminate all paths to it before dropping sysctl_lock
+ */
+ if (unlikely(p->used)) {
+ struct completion wait;
+ init_completion(&wait);
+ p->unregistering = &wait;
+ spin_unlock(&sysctl_lock);
+ wait_for_completion(&wait);
+ spin_lock(&sysctl_lock);
+ }
+ /*
+ * do not remove from the list until nobody holds it; walking the
+ * list in do_sysctl() relies on that.
+ */
+ list_del_init(&p->ctl_entry);
+}
+