diff --git a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
index 745f0663b5b6..b09ead06a249 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
@@ -584,8 +584,8 @@ ssize_t nfsd_copy_file_range(struct file *src, u64 src_pos, struct file *dst,
 	ret = vfs_copy_file_range(src, src_pos, dst, dst_pos, count, 0);
 
 	if (ret == -EOPNOTSUPP || ret == -EXDEV)
-		ret = generic_copy_file_range(src, src_pos, dst, dst_pos,
-					      count, 0);
+		ret = vfs_copy_file_range(src, src_pos, dst, dst_pos, count,
+					  COPY_FILE_SPLICE);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/read_write.c b/fs/read_write.c
index 68604b3c3994..0066acb6b380 100644
--- a/fs/read_write.c
+++ b/fs/read_write.c
@@ -1419,7 +1419,9 @@ static int generic_copy_file_checks(struct file *file_in, loff_t pos_in,
 	 * and several different sets of file_operations, but they all end up
 	 * using the same ->copy_file_range() function pointer.
 	 */
-	if (file_out->f_op->copy_file_range) {
+	if (flags & COPY_FILE_SPLICE) {
+		/* cross sb splice is allowed */
+	} else if (file_out->f_op->copy_file_range) {
 		if (file_in->f_op->copy_file_range !=
 		    file_out->f_op->copy_file_range)
 			return -EXDEV;
@@ -1469,8 +1471,9 @@ ssize_t vfs_copy_file_range(struct file *file_in, loff_t pos_in,
 			    size_t len, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	ssize_t ret;
+	bool splice = flags & COPY_FILE_SPLICE;
 
-	if (flags != 0)
+	if (flags & ~COPY_FILE_SPLICE)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	ret = generic_copy_file_checks(file_in, pos_in, file_out, pos_out, &len,
@@ -1496,14 +1499,14 @@ ssize_t vfs_copy_file_range(struct file *file_in, loff_t pos_in,
 	 * same sb using clone, but for filesystems where both clone and copy
 	 * are supported (e.g. nfs,cifs), we only call the copy method.
 	 */
-	if (file_out->f_op->copy_file_range) {
+	if (!splice && file_out->f_op->copy_file_range) {
 		ret = file_out->f_op->copy_file_range(file_in, pos_in,
 						      file_out, pos_out,
 						      len, flags);
 		goto done;
 	}
 
-	if (file_in->f_op->remap_file_range &&
+	if (!splice && file_in->f_op->remap_file_range &&
 	    file_inode(file_in)->i_sb == file_inode(file_out)->i_sb) {
 		ret = file_in->f_op->remap_file_range(file_in, pos_in,
 				file_out, pos_out,
@@ -1523,6 +1526,8 @@ ssize_t vfs_copy_file_range(struct file *file_in, loff_t pos_in,
 	 * consistent story about which filesystems support copy_file_range()
 	 * and which filesystems do not, that will allow userspace tools to
 	 * make consistent desicions w.r.t using copy_file_range().
+	 *
+	 * We also get here if caller (e.g. nfsd) requested COPY_FILE_SPLICE.
 	 */
 	ret = generic_copy_file_range(file_in, pos_in, file_out, pos_out, len,
 				      flags);
@@ -1577,6 +1582,10 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE6(copy_file_range, int, fd_in, loff_t __user *, off_in,
 		pos_out = f_out.file->f_pos;
 	}
 
+	ret = -EINVAL;
+	if (flags != 0)
+		goto out;
+
 	ret = vfs_copy_file_range(f_in.file, pos_in, f_out.file, pos_out, len,
 				  flags);
 	if (ret > 0) {
diff --git a/include/linux/fs.h b/include/linux/fs.h
index df54acdd3554..ebfc0b2b4969 100644
--- a/include/linux/fs.h
+++ b/include/linux/fs.h
@@ -1817,6 +1817,14 @@ struct dir_context {
  */
 #define REMAP_FILE_ADVISORY		(REMAP_FILE_CAN_SHORTEN)
 
+/*
+ * These flags control the behavior of vfs_copy_file_range().
+ * They are not available to the user via syscall.
+ *
+ * COPY_FILE_SPLICE: call splice direct instead of fs clone/copy ops
+ */
+#define COPY_FILE_SPLICE		(1 << 0)
+
 struct iov_iter;
 
 struct file_operations {