diff --git a/fs/ceph/caps.c b/fs/ceph/caps.c
index 0c1681806867..d9400534b279 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/caps.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/caps.c
@@ -858,6 +858,8 @@ static int __ceph_is_any_caps(struct ceph_inode_info *ci)
 }
 
 /*
+ * Remove a cap.  Take steps to deal with a racing iterate_session_caps.
+ *
  * caller should hold i_lock.
  * caller will not hold session s_mutex if called from destroy_inode.
  */
@@ -866,15 +868,10 @@ void __ceph_remove_cap(struct ceph_cap *cap)
 	struct ceph_mds_session *session = cap->session;
 	struct ceph_inode_info *ci = cap->ci;
 	struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc = &ceph_client(ci->vfs_inode.i_sb)->mdsc;
+	int removed = 0;
 
 	dout("__ceph_remove_cap %p from %p\n", cap, &ci->vfs_inode);
 
-	/* remove from inode list */
-	rb_erase(&cap->ci_node, &ci->i_caps);
-	cap->ci = NULL;
-	if (ci->i_auth_cap == cap)
-		ci->i_auth_cap = NULL;
-
 	/* remove from session list */
 	spin_lock(&session->s_cap_lock);
 	if (session->s_cap_iterator == cap) {
@@ -885,10 +882,18 @@ void __ceph_remove_cap(struct ceph_cap *cap)
 		list_del_init(&cap->session_caps);
 		session->s_nr_caps--;
 		cap->session = NULL;
+		removed = 1;
 	}
+	/* protect backpointer with s_cap_lock: see iterate_session_caps */
+	cap->ci = NULL;
 	spin_unlock(&session->s_cap_lock);
 
-	if (cap->session == NULL)
+	/* remove from inode list */
+	rb_erase(&cap->ci_node, &ci->i_caps);
+	if (ci->i_auth_cap == cap)
+		ci->i_auth_cap = NULL;
+
+	if (removed)
 		ceph_put_cap(cap);
 
 	if (!__ceph_is_any_caps(ci) && ci->i_snap_realm) {
diff --git a/fs/ceph/mds_client.c b/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
index eccc0ecad1a2..24561a557e01 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
@@ -736,9 +736,10 @@ static void cleanup_cap_releases(struct ceph_mds_session *session)
 }
 
 /*
- * Helper to safely iterate over all caps associated with a session.
+ * Helper to safely iterate over all caps associated with a session, with
+ * special care taken to handle a racing __ceph_remove_cap().
  *
- * caller must hold session s_mutex
+ * Caller must hold session s_mutex.
  */
 static int iterate_session_caps(struct ceph_mds_session *session,
 				 int (*cb)(struct inode *, struct ceph_cap *,