diff --git a/kernel/locking/rwsem-xadd.c b/kernel/locking/rwsem-xadd.c
index 63b40a5c62ec..6b0d0605910e 100644
--- a/kernel/locking/rwsem-xadd.c
+++ b/kernel/locking/rwsem-xadd.c
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ __rwsem_mark_wake(struct rw_semaphore *sem,
 			/* Last active locker left. Retry waking readers. */
 			goto try_reader_grant;
 		}
+		/*
+		 * It is not really necessary to set it to reader-owned here,
+		 * but it gives the spinners an early indication that the
+		 * readers now have the lock.
+		 */
+		rwsem_set_reader_owned(sem);
 	}
 
 	/* Grant an infinite number of read locks to the readers at the front
@@ -325,16 +331,11 @@ static inline bool rwsem_can_spin_on_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	owner = READ_ONCE(sem->owner);
-	if (!owner) {
-		long count = atomic_long_read(&sem->count);
+	if (!rwsem_owner_is_writer(owner)) {
 		/*
-		 * If sem->owner is not set, yet we have just recently entered the
-		 * slowpath with the lock being active, then there is a possibility
-		 * reader(s) may have the lock. To be safe, bail spinning in these
-		 * situations.
+		 * Don't spin if the rwsem is readers owned.
 		 */
-		if (count & RWSEM_ACTIVE_MASK)
-			ret = false;
+		ret = !rwsem_owner_is_reader(owner);
 		goto done;
 	}
 
@@ -347,8 +348,6 @@ static inline bool rwsem_can_spin_on_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 static noinline
 bool rwsem_spin_on_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem, struct task_struct *owner)
 {
-	long count;
-
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	while (sem->owner == owner) {
 		/*
@@ -369,16 +368,11 @@ bool rwsem_spin_on_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem, struct task_struct *owner)
 	}
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 
-	if (READ_ONCE(sem->owner))
-		return true; /* new owner, continue spinning */
-
 	/*
-	 * When the owner is not set, the lock could be free or
-	 * held by readers. Check the counter to verify the
-	 * state.
+	 * If there is a new owner or the owner is not set, we continue
+	 * spinning.
 	 */
-	count = atomic_long_read(&sem->count);
-	return (count == 0 || count == RWSEM_WAITING_BIAS);
+	return !rwsem_owner_is_reader(READ_ONCE(sem->owner));
 }
 
 static bool rwsem_optimistic_spin(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
@@ -397,7 +391,16 @@ static bool rwsem_optimistic_spin(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 
 	while (true) {
 		owner = READ_ONCE(sem->owner);
-		if (owner && !rwsem_spin_on_owner(sem, owner))
+		/*
+		 * Don't spin if
+		 * 1) the owner is a reader as we we can't determine if the
+		 *    reader is actively running or not.
+		 * 2) The rwsem_spin_on_owner() returns false which means
+		 *    the owner isn't running.
+		 */
+		if (rwsem_owner_is_reader(owner) ||
+		   (rwsem_owner_is_writer(owner) &&
+		   !rwsem_spin_on_owner(sem, owner)))
 			break;
 
 		/* wait_lock will be acquired if write_lock is obtained */
diff --git a/kernel/locking/rwsem.c b/kernel/locking/rwsem.c
index 2e853ad93a3a..45ba475d4be3 100644
--- a/kernel/locking/rwsem.c
+++ b/kernel/locking/rwsem.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ void __sched down_read(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 	rwsem_acquire_read(&sem->dep_map, 0, 0, _RET_IP_);
 
 	LOCK_CONTENDED(sem, __down_read_trylock, __down_read);
+	rwsem_set_reader_owned(sem);
 }
 
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(down_read);
@@ -33,8 +34,10 @@ int down_read_trylock(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 {
 	int ret = __down_read_trylock(sem);
 
-	if (ret == 1)
+	if (ret == 1) {
 		rwsem_acquire_read(&sem->dep_map, 0, 1, _RET_IP_);
+		rwsem_set_reader_owned(sem);
+	}
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -124,7 +127,7 @@ void downgrade_write(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 	 * lockdep: a downgraded write will live on as a write
 	 * dependency.
 	 */
-	rwsem_clear_owner(sem);
+	rwsem_set_reader_owned(sem);
 	__downgrade_write(sem);
 }
 
@@ -138,6 +141,7 @@ void down_read_nested(struct rw_semaphore *sem, int subclass)
 	rwsem_acquire_read(&sem->dep_map, subclass, 0, _RET_IP_);
 
 	LOCK_CONTENDED(sem, __down_read_trylock, __down_read);
+	rwsem_set_reader_owned(sem);
 }
 
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(down_read_nested);
diff --git a/kernel/locking/rwsem.h b/kernel/locking/rwsem.h
index 870ed9a5b426..8f43ba234787 100644
--- a/kernel/locking/rwsem.h
+++ b/kernel/locking/rwsem.h
@@ -1,3 +1,20 @@
+/*
+ * The owner field of the rw_semaphore structure will be set to
+ * RWSEM_READ_OWNED when a reader grabs the lock. A writer will clear
+ * the owner field when it unlocks. A reader, on the other hand, will
+ * not touch the owner field when it unlocks.
+ *
+ * In essence, the owner field now has the following 3 states:
+ *  1) 0
+ *     - lock is free or the owner hasn't set the field yet
+ *  2) RWSEM_READER_OWNED
+ *     - lock is currently or previously owned by readers (lock is free
+ *       or not set by owner yet)
+ *  3) Other non-zero value
+ *     - a writer owns the lock
+ */
+#define RWSEM_READER_OWNED	((struct task_struct *)1UL)
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_RWSEM_SPIN_ON_OWNER
 static inline void rwsem_set_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 {
@@ -9,6 +26,26 @@ static inline void rwsem_clear_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 	sem->owner = NULL;
 }
 
+static inline void rwsem_set_reader_owned(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
+{
+	/*
+	 * We check the owner value first to make sure that we will only
+	 * do a write to the rwsem cacheline when it is really necessary
+	 * to minimize cacheline contention.
+	 */
+	if (sem->owner != RWSEM_READER_OWNED)
+		sem->owner = RWSEM_READER_OWNED;
+}
+
+static inline bool rwsem_owner_is_writer(struct task_struct *owner)
+{
+	return owner && owner != RWSEM_READER_OWNED;
+}
+
+static inline bool rwsem_owner_is_reader(struct task_struct *owner)
+{
+	return owner == RWSEM_READER_OWNED;
+}
 #else
 static inline void rwsem_set_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 {
@@ -17,4 +54,8 @@ static inline void rwsem_set_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 static inline void rwsem_clear_owner(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
 {
 }
+
+static inline void rwsem_set_reader_owned(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
+{
+}
 #endif