diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c b/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
index 381a2b13682c..c926b9d5c4bd 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/selection.c
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <linux/tty.h>
 #include <linux/sched.h>
 #include <linux/mm.h>
+#include <linux/mutex.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/types.h>
 
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ static volatile int sel_start = -1; 	/* cleared by clear_selection */
 static int sel_end;
 static int sel_buffer_lth;
 static char *sel_buffer;
+static DEFINE_MUTEX(sel_lock);
 
 /* clear_selection, highlight and highlight_pointer can be called
    from interrupt (via scrollback/front) */
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ int set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *sel, struct tty_struct *t
 	char *bp, *obp;
 	int i, ps, pe, multiplier;
 	u16 c;
-	int mode;
+	int mode, ret = 0;
 
 	poke_blanked_console();
 
@@ -203,6 +205,7 @@ int set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *sel, struct tty_struct *t
 		pe = tmp;
 	}
 
+	mutex_lock(&sel_lock);
 	if (sel_cons != vc_cons[fg_console].d) {
 		clear_selection();
 		sel_cons = vc_cons[fg_console].d;
@@ -248,9 +251,10 @@ int set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *sel, struct tty_struct *t
 			break;
 		case TIOCL_SELPOINTER:
 			highlight_pointer(pe);
-			return 0;
+			goto unlock;
 		default:
-			return -EINVAL;
+			ret = -EINVAL;
+			goto unlock;
 	}
 
 	/* remove the pointer */
@@ -272,7 +276,7 @@ int set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *sel, struct tty_struct *t
 	else if (new_sel_start == sel_start)
 	{
 		if (new_sel_end == sel_end)	/* no action required */
-			return 0;
+			goto unlock;
 		else if (new_sel_end > sel_end)	/* extend to right */
 			highlight(sel_end + 2, new_sel_end);
 		else				/* contract from right */
@@ -299,7 +303,8 @@ int set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *sel, struct tty_struct *t
 	if (!bp) {
 		printk(KERN_WARNING "selection: kmalloc() failed\n");
 		clear_selection();
-		return -ENOMEM;
+		ret = -ENOMEM;
+		goto unlock;
 	}
 	kfree(sel_buffer);
 	sel_buffer = bp;
@@ -324,7 +329,9 @@ int set_selection(const struct tiocl_selection __user *sel, struct tty_struct *t
 		}
 	}
 	sel_buffer_lth = bp - sel_buffer;
-	return 0;
+unlock:
+	mutex_unlock(&sel_lock);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /* Insert the contents of the selection buffer into the
@@ -350,6 +357,7 @@ int paste_selection(struct tty_struct *tty)
 	tty_buffer_lock_exclusive(&vc->port);
 
 	add_wait_queue(&vc->paste_wait, &wait);
+	mutex_lock(&sel_lock);
 	while (sel_buffer && sel_buffer_lth > pasted) {
 		set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
 		if (test_bit(TTY_THROTTLED, &tty->flags)) {
@@ -362,6 +370,7 @@ int paste_selection(struct tty_struct *tty)
 					      count);
 		pasted += count;
 	}
+	mutex_unlock(&sel_lock);
 	remove_wait_queue(&vc->paste_wait, &wait);
 	__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);