diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index eb209087a..75e0d843c 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ case "$host_os" in
 		SELINUX=yes
 		CLUSTER=internal
 		FSADM=yes
+		BLKDEACTIVATE=yes
 		;;
 	darwin*)
 		CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -no-cpp-precomp -fno-common"
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ case "$host_os" in
 		SELINUX=no
 		CLUSTER=none
 		FSADM=no
+		BLKDEACTIVATE=no
 		;;
 esac
 
@@ -1080,6 +1082,13 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(fsadm, AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-fsadm], [disable fsadm]),
 	      FSADM=$enableval)
 AC_MSG_RESULT($FSADM)
 
+################################################################################
+dnl -- Enable blkdeactivate
+AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether to install blkdeactivate)
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(blkdeactivate, AC_HELP_STRING([--disable-blkdeactivate], [disable blkdeactivate]),
+	      BLKDEACTIVATE=$enableval)
+AC_MSG_RESULT($BLKDEACTIVATE)
+
 ################################################################################
 dnl -- enable dmeventd handling
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(whether to use dmeventd)
@@ -1531,6 +1540,7 @@ AC_SUBST(DM_LIB_VERSION)
 AC_SUBST(DM_LIB_PATCHLEVEL)
 AC_SUBST(ELDFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(FSADM)
+AC_SUBST(BLKDEACTIVATE)
 AC_SUBST(HAVE_LIBDL)
 AC_SUBST(HAVE_REALTIME)
 AC_SUBST(INTL)
@@ -1645,6 +1655,9 @@ man/Makefile
 po/Makefile
 python/Makefile
 python/setup.py
+scripts/blkdeactivate.sh
+scripts/blk_availability_init_red_hat
+scripts/blk_availability_systemd_red_hat.service
 scripts/clvmd_init_red_hat
 scripts/cmirrord_init_red_hat
 scripts/lvm2_lvmetad_init_red_hat
diff --git a/man/Makefile.in b/man/Makefile.in
index c132a3fc8..8be34c39f 100644
--- a/man/Makefile.in
+++ b/man/Makefile.in
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ else
 FSADMMAN =
 endif
 
+ifeq ("@BLKDEACTIVATE@", "yes")
+BLKDEACTIVATEMAN = blkdeactivate.8
+else
+BLKDEACTIVATEMAN =
+endif
+
 ifeq ("@DMEVENTD@", "yes")
 DMEVENTDMAN = dmeventd.8
 else
@@ -42,7 +48,7 @@ MAN8=lvchange.8 lvconvert.8 lvcreate.8 lvdisplay.8 lvextend.8 lvm.8 \
 	pvresize.8 pvs.8 pvscan.8 vgcfgbackup.8 vgcfgrestore.8 vgchange.8 \
 	vgck.8 vgcreate.8 vgconvert.8 vgdisplay.8 vgexport.8 vgextend.8 \
 	vgimport.8 vgimportclone.8 vgmerge.8 vgmknodes.8 vgreduce.8 vgremove.8 \
-	vgrename.8 vgs.8 vgscan.8 vgsplit.8 $(FSADMMAN) $(LVMETAD)
+	vgrename.8 vgs.8 vgscan.8 vgsplit.8 $(FSADMMAN) $(BLKDEACTIVATEMAN) $(LVMETAD)
 
 ifneq ("@CLVMD@", "none")
   MAN8CLUSTER=clvmd.8
@@ -57,7 +63,7 @@ MAN8DM=dmsetup.8 $(DMEVENTDMAN)
 MAN5DIR=$(mandir)/man5
 MAN8DIR=$(mandir)/man8
 
-CLEAN_TARGETS=$(MAN5) $(MAN8) $(MAN8CLUSTER) $(FSADMMAN) $(DMEVENTDMAN) $(MAN8DM)
+CLEAN_TARGETS=$(MAN5) $(MAN8) $(MAN8CLUSTER) $(FSADMMAN) $(BLKDEACTIVATEMAN) $(DMEVENTDMAN) $(MAN8DM)
 DISTCLEAN_TARGETS=fsadm.8 clvmd.8 cmirrord.8 dmeventd.8
 
 include $(top_builddir)/make.tmpl
diff --git a/man/blkdeactivate.8.in b/man/blkdeactivate.8.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6e566c86c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/blkdeactivate.8.in
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+.TH "BLKDEACTIVATE" "8" "LVM TOOLS #VERSION#" "Red Hat, Inc" "\""
+.SH "NAME"
+blkdeactivate \- utility to deactivate block devices
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+.B blkdeactivate
+.RI [ options ]
+.RI [ device... ]
+.sp
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+blkdeactivate utility deactivates block devices. If a device
+is mounted, the utility can unmount it automatically before
+trying to deactivate. The utility currently supports
+\fIdevice-mapper\fP devices, including \fILVM\fP volumes.
+LVM volumes are handled directly using the \fIlvm\fP command.
+Other device-mapper based devices are handled using the
+\fIdmsetup\fP command.
+.SH OPTIONS
+.IP "\fB\-h, \-\-help\fP"
+Display the help text.
+.IP "\fB\-u, \-\-umount\fP"
+Unmount a mounted device before trying to deactivate it.
+Without this option used, a device that is mounted is not deactivated.
+.IP "\fB\-d, \-\-dmoption\fP \fIdm_options\fP"
+Comma separated list of device-mapper specific options.
+.IP "\fB\-l, \-\-lvmoption\fP \fIlvm_options\fP"
+Comma separated list of LVM specific options.
+.SH DM_OPTIONS
+.IP "\fBretry\fP"
+Retry removal several times in case of failure.
+.IP "\fBforce\fP"
+Force device removal. See \fBdmsetup\fP(8) for more information.
+.SH LVM_OPTIONS
+.IP "\fBretry\fP"
+Retry removal several times in case of failure.
+.IP "\fBwholevg\fP"
+Deactivate the whole LVM Volume Group when processing a Logical Volume.
+Deactivating Volume Group as a whole takes less time than deactivating
+each Logical Volume separately.
+
+.SH EXAMPLES
+.sp
+Deactivate all supported block devices found in the system. If a device
+is mounted, skip its deactivation.
+.sp
+.B blkdeactivate
+
+Deactivate all supported block devices found in the system. If a device
+is mounted, unmount it first if possible.
+.sp
+.B blkdeactivate \-u
+
+Deactivate supplied device together with all its holders. If any of the
+devices processed is mounted, unmount it first if possible.
+.sp
+.B blkdeactivate \-u /dev/vg/lvol0
+
+Deactivate all supported block devices found in the system. Retry deactivation
+of device-mapper devices in case the deactivation fails. Deactivate the whole
+Volume Group at once when processing an LVM Logical Volume.
+.sp
+.B blkdeactivate \-u -d retry -l wholevg
+
+Deactivate all supported block devices found in the system. Retry deactivation
+of device-mapper devices in case the deactivation fails and force removal.
+.sp
+.B blkdeactivate -d force,retry
+
+.SH SEE ALSO
+.BR lsblk (8)
+.BR umount (8)
+.BR dmsetup (8)
+.BR lvm (8)
diff --git a/scripts/Makefile.in b/scripts/Makefile.in
index df13c3d18..91e2e94ab 100644
--- a/scripts/Makefile.in
+++ b/scripts/Makefile.in
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ ifeq ("@FSADM@", "yes")
 	SCRIPTS += fsadm.sh
 endif
 
+ifeq ("@BLKDEACTIVATE@", "yes")
+	SCRIPTS += blkdeactivate.sh
+endif
+
 OCF_SCRIPTS =
 ifeq ("@OCF@", "yes")
         OCF_SCRIPTS += VolumeGroup.ocf
@@ -74,6 +78,9 @@ endif
 ifeq ("@BUILD_CMIRRORD@", "yes")
 	$(INSTALL_SCRIPT) cmirrord_init_red_hat $(initdir)/cmirrord
 endif
+ifeq ("@BLKDEACTIVATE@", "yes")
+	$(INSTALL_SCRIPT) blk_availability_init_red_hat $(initdir)/blk-availability
+endif
 
 lvm2_activation_generator_systemd_red_hat: $(OBJECTS) $(DEPLIBS)
 	$(CC) -o $@ $(OBJECTS) $(LDFLAGS) $(LVMLIBS)
@@ -94,6 +101,9 @@ ifeq ("@BUILD_DMEVENTD@", "yes")
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) dm_event_systemd_red_hat.service $(systemd_unit_dir)/dm-event.service
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) lvm2_monitoring_systemd_red_hat.service $(systemd_unit_dir)/lvm2-monitor.service
 endif
+ifeq ("@BLKDEACTIVATE@", "yes")
+	$(INSTALL_DATA) blk_availability_systemd_red_hat.service $(systemd_unit_dir)/blk-availability.service
+endif
 ifeq ("@BUILD_LVMETAD@", "yes")
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) lvm2_lvmetad_systemd_red_hat.socket $(systemd_unit_dir)/lvm2-lvmetad.socket
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) lvm2_lvmetad_systemd_red_hat.service $(systemd_unit_dir)/lvm2-lvmetad.service
diff --git a/scripts/blk_availability_init_red_hat.in b/scripts/blk_availability_init_red_hat.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b6c4a67f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/blk_availability_init_red_hat.in
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2012 Red Hat, Inc. All rights reserved.
+#
+# This copyrighted material is made available to anyone wishing to use,
+# modify, copy, or redistribute it subject to the terms and conditions
+# of the GNU General Public License v.2.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+# Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+#
+# This file is part of LVM2.
+# It is required for the proper handling of failures of LVM2 mirror
+# devices that were created using the -m option of lvcreate.
+#
+#
+# chkconfig: 12345 10 80
+# description: Controls availability of block devices
+#
+# For Red-Hat-based distributions such as Fedora, RHEL, CentOS.
+#	       
+### BEGIN INIT INFO
+# Provides: blk-availability
+# Required-Start:
+# Required-Stop:
+# Default-Start: 1 2 3 4 5
+# Default-Stop: 0 6
+# Short-Description: Availability of block devices
+### END INIT INFO
+
+. /etc/init.d/functions
+
+sbindir=@sbindir@
+script=blkdeactivate
+options="-u -l wholevg"
+
+LOCK_FILE="/var/lock/subsys/$script"
+
+
+rtrn=1
+
+case "$1" in
+  start)
+	touch $LOCK_FILE
+	;;
+
+  stop)
+	action "Stopping blk-availability" $sbindir/$script $options
+	rm -f $LOCK_FILE
+	;;
+
+  status)
+	;;
+  *)
+	echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|status}"
+	;;
+esac
diff --git a/scripts/blk_availability_systemd_red_hat.service.in b/scripts/blk_availability_systemd_red_hat.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fef919b00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/blk_availability_systemd_red_hat.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Availability of block devices
+After=lvm2-activation.service lvm2-lvmetad.service iscsi.service iscsid.service
+DefaultDependencies=no
+Conflicts=shutdown.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/true
+ExecStop=@sbindir@/blkdeactivate -u -l wholevg
+RemainAfterExit=yes
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=sysinit.target
diff --git a/scripts/blkdeactivate.sh.in b/scripts/blkdeactivate.sh.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..031f5f6b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/blkdeactivate.sh.in
@@ -0,0 +1,313 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2012 Red Hat, Inc. All rights reserved.
+#
+# This file is part of LVM2.
+#
+# This copyrighted material is made available to anyone wishing to use,
+# modify, copy, or redistribute it subject to the terms and conditions
+# of the GNU General Public License v.2.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+# Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+#
+# Author: Peter Rajnoha <prajnoha at redhat.com>
+#
+# Script for deactivating block devices
+#
+# Requires:
+#   bash >= 4.0 (associative array support)
+#   lsblk >= 2.22 (lsblk -s support)
+#   umount
+#   dmsetup >= 1.02.68 (--retry option support)
+#   lvm >= 2.2.89 (activation/retry_deactivation config support)
+#
+
+#set -x
+shopt -s dotglob nullglob
+
+TOOL=blkdeactivate
+
+DEV_DIR='/dev'
+SYS_BLK_DIR='/sys/block'
+
+UMOUNT="/bin/umount"
+DMSETUP="@sbindir@/dmsetup"
+LVM="@sbindir@/lvm"
+
+LSBLK="/bin/lsblk -r --noheadings -o TYPE,KNAME,NAME,MOUNTPOINT"
+LSBLK_VARS="local devtype local kname local name local mnt"
+LSBLK_READ="read -r devtype kname name mnt"
+
+# Do not unmount mounted devices by default.
+DO_UMOUNT=0
+
+# Deactivate each LV separately by default (not the whole VG).
+LVM_DO_WHOLE_VG=0
+# Do not retry LV deactivation by default.
+LVM_CONFIG="activation{retry_deactivation=0}"
+
+#
+# List of device names and/or VGs to be skipped.
+# Device name is the KNAME from lsblk output.
+#
+# If deactivation of any device fails, it's automatically
+# added to the SKIP_DEVICE_LIST (also a particular VG
+# added to the SKIP_VG_LIST for a device that is an LV).
+#
+# These lists provide device tree pruning to skip
+# particular device/VG deactivation that failed already.
+# (lists are associative arrays!)
+#
+declare -A SKIP_DEVICE_LIST=()
+declare -A SKIP_VG_LIST=()
+
+#
+# List of mountpoints to be skipped. Any device that is mounted on the mountpoint
+# listed here will be added to SKIP_DEVICE_LIST (and SKIP_VG_LIST) automatically.
+# (list is an associative array!)
+#
+declare -A SKIP_UMOUNT_LIST=(["/"]=1 ["/boot"]=1 \
+                             ["/lib"]=1 ["/lib64"]=1 \
+                             ["/bin"]=1 ["/sbin"]=1 \
+                             ["/usr"]=1 \
+                             ["/usr/lib"]=1 ["/usr/lib64"]=1 \
+                             ["/usr/sbin"]=1 ["/usr/bin"]=1)
+# Bash can't properly handle '[' and ']' used as a subscript
+# within the '()'initialization - it needs to be done separately!
+SKIP_UMOUNT_LIST["[SWAP]"]=1
+
+usage() {
+	echo "${TOOL}: Utility to deactivate block devices"
+	echo
+	echo "  ${TOOL} [options] [device...]"
+	echo "    - Deactivate block device tree."
+	echo "      If devices are specified, deactivate only supplied devices and their holders."
+	echo
+	echo "  Options:"
+	echo "    -h | --help                  Show this help message"
+	echo "    -d | --dmoption  DM_OPTIONS  Comma separated DM specific options"
+	echo "    -l | --lvmoption LVM_OPTIONS Comma separated LVM specific options"
+	echo "    -u | --umount                Unmount the device if mounted"
+	echo
+	echo "  Device specific options:"
+	echo "    DM_OPTIONS:"
+	echo "      retry    retry removal several times in case of failure"
+	echo "      force    force device removal"
+	echo "    LVM_OPTIONS:"
+	echo "      retry    retry removal several times in case of failure"
+	echo "      wholevg  deactivate the whole VG when processing an LV"
+
+	exit
+}
+
+add_device_to_skip_list() {
+	SKIP_DEVICE_LIST+=(["$kname"]=1)
+	return 1
+}
+
+add_vg_to_skip_list() {
+	SKIP_VG_LIST+=(["$DM_VG_NAME"]=1)
+	return 1
+}
+
+is_top_level_device() {
+	# top level devices do not have any holders, that is
+	# the SYS_BLK_DIR/<device_name>/holders dir is empty
+	files="`echo $SYS_BLK_DIR/$kname/holders/*`"
+	test -z "$files"
+}
+
+device_umount () {
+	test -z "$mnt" && return 0;
+
+	if test -z "${SKIP_UMOUNT_LIST["$mnt"]}" -a "$DO_UMOUNT" -eq "1"; then
+		echo "  UMOUNT: unmounting $name ($kname) mounted on $mnt"
+		$UMOUNT "$mnt" || add_device_to_skip_list
+	else
+		echo "  [SKIP]: unmount of $name ($kname) mounted on $mnt"
+		add_device_to_skip_list
+	fi
+}
+
+deactivate_holders () {
+	local skip=1; $LSBLK_VARS
+
+	# Get holders for the device - either a mount or another device.
+	# First line on the lsblk output is the device itself - skip it for
+	# the deactivate call as this device is already being deactivated.
+	while $LSBLK_READ; do
+		test -e $SYS_BLK_DIR/$kname || continue
+		# check if the device not on the skip list already
+		test -z ${SKIP_DEVICE_LIST["$kname"]} || return 1
+
+		# try to unmount it if mounted
+		device_umount || return 1
+
+		# try to deactivate the holder
+		test $skip -eq 1 && skip=0 && continue
+		deactivate || return 1
+	done <<< "`$LSBLK $1`"
+}
+
+deactivate_dm () {
+	local name=$(printf $name)
+	test -b "$DEV_DIR/mapper/$name" || return 0
+	test -z ${SKIP_DEVICE_LIST["$kname"]} || return 1
+
+	deactivate_holders "$DEV_DIR/mapper/$name" || return 1
+
+	echo "  DM: deactivating $devtype device $name ($kname)"
+	$DMSETUP $DMSETUP_OPTS remove "$name" || add_device_to_skip_list
+}
+
+deactivate_lvm () {
+	local DM_VG_NAME; local DM_LV_NAME; local DM_LV_LAYER
+
+	eval $($DMSETUP splitname --nameprefixes --noheadings --rows "$name" LVM)
+	test -b "$DEV_DIR/$DM_VG_NAME/$DM_LV_NAME" || return 0
+	test -z ${SKIP_VG_LIST["$DM_VG_NAME"]} || return 1
+
+	# Deactivating only the LV specified
+	test $LVM_DO_WHOLE_VG -eq 0 && {
+		deactivate_holders "$DEV_DIR/$DM_VG_NAME/$DM_LV_NAME" || {
+			add_device_to_skip_list
+			return 1
+		}
+
+		echo "  LVM: deactivating Logical Volume $DM_VG_NAME/$DM_LV_NAME"
+		$LVM lvchange --config "log{prefix=\"\"} $LVM_CONFIG" -aln $DM_VG_NAME/$DM_LV_NAME || {
+			add_device_to_skip_list
+			return 1
+		}
+		return 0
+	}
+
+	# Deactivating the whole VG the LV is part of
+	lv_list=$($LVM vgs --config "$LVM_CONFIG" --noheadings --rows -o lv_name $DM_VG_NAME)
+	for lv in $lv_list; do
+		test -b "$DEV_DIR/$DM_VG_NAME/$lv" || continue
+		deactivate_holders "$DEV_DIR/$DM_VG_NAME/$lv" || {
+			add_vg_to_skip_list
+			return 1
+		}
+	done
+
+	echo "  LVM: deactivating Volume Group $DM_VG_NAME"
+	$LVM vgchange --config "log{prefix=\"    \"} $LVM_CONFIG" -aln $DM_VG_NAME || add_vg_to_skip_list
+}
+
+deactivate () {
+	######################################################################
+	# DEACTIVATION HOOKS FOR NEW DEVICE TYPES GO HERE!                   #
+	#                                                                    #
+	# Identify a new device type either by inspecting the TYPE provided  #
+	# by lsblk directly ($devtype) or by any other mean that is suitable #
+	# e.g. the KNAME provided by lsblk ($kname). See $LSBLK_VARS for     #
+	# complete list of variables that may be used. Then call a           #
+	# device-specific deactivation function that handles the exact type. #
+	#                                                                    #
+        # This device-specific function will certainly need to call          #
+	# deactivate_holders first to recursively deactivate any existing    #
+	# holders it might have before deactivating the device it processes. #
+	######################################################################
+	if test "$devtype" = "lvm"; then
+		deactivate_lvm
+	elif test "${kname:0:3}" = "dm-"; then
+		deactivate_dm
+	fi
+}
+
+deactivate_all() {
+	$LSBLK_VARS
+	skip=0
+
+	echo "Deactivating block devices:"
+
+	if test $# -eq 0; then
+		# Deactivate all devices
+		while $LSBLK_READ; do
+			# 'disk' is at the bottom already and it's a real device
+			test "$devtype" = "disk" && continue
+
+			# if deactivation of any device fails, skip processing
+			# any subsequent devices within its subtree as the
+			# top-level device could not be deactivated anyway
+			test $skip -eq 1 && {
+				# reset 'skip' on top level device
+				is_top_level_device && skip=0 || continue
+			}
+
+			# check if the device is not on the skip list already
+			test -z ${SKIP_DEVICE_LIST["$kname"]} || continue
+
+			# try to deactivate top-level device, set 'skip=1'
+			# if it fails to do so - this will cause all the
+			# device's subtree to be skipped when processing
+			# devices further in this loop
+			deactivate || skip=1
+		done <<< "`$LSBLK -s`"
+	else
+		# Deactivate only specified devices
+		while test $# -ne 0; do
+			# Single dm device tree deactivation.
+			if test -b "$1"; then
+				$LSBLK_READ <<< "`$LSBLK --nodeps $1`"
+
+				# check if the device is not on the skip list already
+				test -z ${SKIP_DEVICE_LIST["$kname"]} || continue
+
+				deactivate
+			else
+				echo "$1: device not found"
+				return 1
+			fi
+			shift
+		done;
+	fi
+}
+
+get_dmopts() {
+	ORIG_IFS=$IFS; IFS=','
+
+	for opt in $1; do
+		case $opt in
+			"") ;;
+			"retry") DMSETUP_OPTS+="--retry " ;;
+			"force") DMSETUP_OPTS+="--force " ;;
+			*) echo "$opt: unknown DM option"
+		esac
+	done
+
+	IFS=$ORIG_IFS
+}
+
+get_lvmopts() {
+	ORIG_IFS=$IFS; IFS=','
+
+	for opt in $1; do
+		case "$opt" in
+			"") ;;
+			"retry") LVM_CONFIG="activation{retry_deactivation=1}" ;;
+			"wholevg") LVM_DO_WHOLE_VG=1 ;;
+			*) echo "$opt: unknown LVM option"
+		esac
+	done
+
+	IFS=$ORIG_IFS
+}
+
+while test $# -ne 0; do
+	case "$1" in
+		"") ;;
+		"-h"|"--help") usage ;;
+		"-d"|"--dmopts") get_dmopts "$2" ; shift ;;
+		"-l"|"--lvmopts") get_lvmopts "$2" ; shift ;;
+		"-u"|"--umount") DO_UMOUNT=1 ;;
+		*) break ;;
+	esac
+	shift
+done
+
+deactivate_all "$@"