diff --git a/fs/dlm/dlm_internal.h b/fs/dlm/dlm_internal.h
index dfc444dad329..3b4dbce849f0 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/dlm_internal.h
+++ b/fs/dlm/dlm_internal.h
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ struct dlm_lkb {
 	int8_t			lkb_highbast;	/* highest mode bast sent for */
 
 	int8_t			lkb_wait_type;	/* type of reply waiting for */
-	atomic_t		lkb_wait_count;
+	int8_t			lkb_wait_count;
 	int			lkb_wait_nodeid; /* for debugging */
 
 	struct list_head	lkb_statequeue;	/* rsb g/c/w list */
diff --git a/fs/dlm/lock.c b/fs/dlm/lock.c
index 652c51fbbf76..fd752dd03896 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lock.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/lock.c
@@ -1407,7 +1407,6 @@ static int add_to_waiters(struct dlm_lkb *lkb, int mstype, int to_nodeid)
 {
 	struct dlm_ls *ls = lkb->lkb_resource->res_ls;
 	int error = 0;
-	int wc;
 
 	mutex_lock(&ls->ls_waiters_mutex);
 
@@ -1429,17 +1428,20 @@ static int add_to_waiters(struct dlm_lkb *lkb, int mstype, int to_nodeid)
 			error = -EBUSY;
 			goto out;
 		}
-		wc = atomic_inc_return(&lkb->lkb_wait_count);
+		lkb->lkb_wait_count++;
 		hold_lkb(lkb);
 
 		log_debug(ls, "addwait %x cur %d overlap %d count %d f %x",
-			  lkb->lkb_id, lkb->lkb_wait_type, mstype, wc,
-			  dlm_iflags_val(lkb));
+			  lkb->lkb_id, lkb->lkb_wait_type, mstype,
+			  lkb->lkb_wait_count, dlm_iflags_val(lkb));
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	wc = atomic_fetch_inc(&lkb->lkb_wait_count);
-	DLM_ASSERT(!wc, dlm_print_lkb(lkb); printk("wait_count %d\n", wc););
+	DLM_ASSERT(!lkb->lkb_wait_count,
+		   dlm_print_lkb(lkb);
+		   printk("wait_count %d\n", lkb->lkb_wait_count););
+
+	lkb->lkb_wait_count++;
 	lkb->lkb_wait_type = mstype;
 	lkb->lkb_wait_nodeid = to_nodeid; /* for debugging */
 	hold_lkb(lkb);
@@ -1502,7 +1504,7 @@ static int _remove_from_waiters(struct dlm_lkb *lkb, int mstype,
 		log_debug(ls, "remwait %x convert_reply zap overlap_cancel",
 			  lkb->lkb_id);
 		lkb->lkb_wait_type = 0;
-		atomic_dec(&lkb->lkb_wait_count);
+		lkb->lkb_wait_count--;
 		unhold_lkb(lkb);
 		goto out_del;
 	}
@@ -1529,15 +1531,16 @@ static int _remove_from_waiters(struct dlm_lkb *lkb, int mstype,
 	if (overlap_done && lkb->lkb_wait_type) {
 		log_error(ls, "remwait error %x reply %d wait_type %d overlap",
 			  lkb->lkb_id, mstype, lkb->lkb_wait_type);
-		atomic_dec(&lkb->lkb_wait_count);
+		lkb->lkb_wait_count--;
 		unhold_lkb(lkb);
 		lkb->lkb_wait_type = 0;
 	}
 
-	DLM_ASSERT(atomic_read(&lkb->lkb_wait_count), dlm_print_lkb(lkb););
+	DLM_ASSERT(lkb->lkb_wait_count, dlm_print_lkb(lkb););
 
 	clear_bit(DLM_IFL_RESEND_BIT, &lkb->lkb_iflags);
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&lkb->lkb_wait_count))
+	lkb->lkb_wait_count--;
+	if (!lkb->lkb_wait_count)
 		list_del_init(&lkb->lkb_wait_reply);
 	unhold_lkb(lkb);
 	return 0;
@@ -2666,7 +2669,7 @@ static int validate_lock_args(struct dlm_ls *ls, struct dlm_lkb *lkb,
 			goto out;
 
 		/* lock not allowed if there's any op in progress */
-		if (lkb->lkb_wait_type || atomic_read(&lkb->lkb_wait_count))
+		if (lkb->lkb_wait_type || lkb->lkb_wait_count)
 			goto out;
 
 		if (is_overlap(lkb))
@@ -2728,7 +2731,7 @@ static int validate_unlock_args(struct dlm_lkb *lkb, struct dlm_args *args)
 
 	/* normal unlock not allowed if there's any op in progress */
 	if (!(args->flags & (DLM_LKF_CANCEL | DLM_LKF_FORCEUNLOCK)) &&
-	    (lkb->lkb_wait_type || atomic_read(&lkb->lkb_wait_count)))
+	    (lkb->lkb_wait_type || lkb->lkb_wait_count))
 		goto out;
 
 	/* an lkb may be waiting for an rsb lookup to complete where the
@@ -5011,21 +5014,32 @@ static struct dlm_lkb *find_resend_waiter(struct dlm_ls *ls)
 	return lkb;
 }
 
-/* Deal with lookups and lkb's marked RESEND from _pre.  We may now be the
-   master or dir-node for r.  Processing the lkb may result in it being placed
-   back on waiters. */
-
-/* We do this after normal locking has been enabled and any saved messages
-   (in requestqueue) have been processed.  We should be confident that at
-   this point we won't get or process a reply to any of these waiting
-   operations.  But, new ops may be coming in on the rsbs/locks here from
-   userspace or remotely. */
-
-/* there may have been an overlap unlock/cancel prior to recovery or after
-   recovery.  if before, the lkb may still have a pos wait_count; if after, the
-   overlap flag would just have been set and nothing new sent.  we can be
-   confident here than any replies to either the initial op or overlap ops
-   prior to recovery have been received. */
+/*
+ * Forced state reset for locks that were in the middle of remote operations
+ * when recovery happened (i.e. lkbs that were on the waiters list, waiting
+ * for a reply from a remote operation.)  The lkbs remaining on the waiters
+ * list need to be reevaluated; some may need resending to a different node
+ * than previously, and some may now need local handling rather than remote.
+ *
+ * First, the lkb state for the voided remote operation is forcibly reset,
+ * equivalent to what remove_from_waiters() would normally do:
+ * . lkb removed from ls_waiters list
+ * . lkb wait_type cleared
+ * . lkb waiters_count cleared
+ * . lkb ref count decremented for each waiters_count (almost always 1,
+ *   but possibly 2 in case of cancel/unlock overlapping, which means
+ *   two remote replies were being expected for the lkb.)
+ *
+ * Second, the lkb is reprocessed like an original operation would be,
+ * by passing it to _request_lock or _convert_lock, which will either
+ * process the lkb operation locally, or send it to a remote node again
+ * and put the lkb back onto the waiters list.
+ *
+ * When reprocessing the lkb, we may find that it's flagged for an overlapping
+ * force-unlock or cancel, either from before recovery began, or after recovery
+ * finished.  If this is the case, the unlock/cancel is done directly, and the
+ * original operation is not initiated again (no _request_lock/_convert_lock.)
+ */
 
 int dlm_recover_waiters_post(struct dlm_ls *ls)
 {
@@ -5040,6 +5054,11 @@ int dlm_recover_waiters_post(struct dlm_ls *ls)
 			break;
 		}
 
+		/* 
+		 * Find an lkb from the waiters list that's been affected by
+		 * recovery node changes, and needs to be reprocessed.  Does
+		 * hold_lkb(), adding a refcount.
+		 */
 		lkb = find_resend_waiter(ls);
 		if (!lkb)
 			break;
@@ -5048,6 +5067,11 @@ int dlm_recover_waiters_post(struct dlm_ls *ls)
 		hold_rsb(r);
 		lock_rsb(r);
 
+		/*
+		 * If the lkb has been flagged for a force unlock or cancel,
+		 * then the reprocessing below will be replaced by just doing
+		 * the unlock/cancel directly.
+		 */
 		mstype = lkb->lkb_wait_type;
 		oc = test_and_clear_bit(DLM_IFL_OVERLAP_CANCEL_BIT,
 					&lkb->lkb_iflags);
@@ -5061,22 +5085,40 @@ int dlm_recover_waiters_post(struct dlm_ls *ls)
 			  r->res_nodeid, lkb->lkb_nodeid, lkb->lkb_wait_nodeid,
 			  dlm_dir_nodeid(r), oc, ou);
 
-		/* At this point we assume that we won't get a reply to any
-		   previous op or overlap op on this lock.  First, do a big
-		   remove_from_waiters() for all previous ops. */
+		/*
+		 * No reply to the pre-recovery operation will now be received,
+		 * so a forced equivalent of remove_from_waiters() is needed to
+		 * reset the waiters state that was in place before recovery.
+		 */
 
 		clear_bit(DLM_IFL_RESEND_BIT, &lkb->lkb_iflags);
-		lkb->lkb_wait_type = 0;
-		/* drop all wait_count references we still
-		 * hold a reference for this iteration.
-		 */
-		while (!atomic_dec_and_test(&lkb->lkb_wait_count))
-			unhold_lkb(lkb);
 
+		/* Forcibly clear wait_type */
+		lkb->lkb_wait_type = 0;
+
+		/*
+		 * Forcibly reset wait_count and associated refcount.  The
+		 * wait_count will almost always be 1, but in case of an
+		 * overlapping unlock/cancel it could be 2: see where
+		 * add_to_waiters() finds the lkb is already on the waiters
+		 * list and does lkb_wait_count++; hold_lkb().
+		 */
+		while (lkb->lkb_wait_count) {
+			lkb->lkb_wait_count--;
+			unhold_lkb(lkb);
+		}
+
+		/* Forcibly remove from waiters list */
 		mutex_lock(&ls->ls_waiters_mutex);
 		list_del_init(&lkb->lkb_wait_reply);
 		mutex_unlock(&ls->ls_waiters_mutex);
 
+		/*
+		 * The lkb is now clear of all prior waiters state and can be
+		 * processed locally, or sent to remote node again, or directly
+		 * cancelled/unlocked.
+		 */
+
 		if (oc || ou) {
 			/* do an unlock or cancel instead of resending */
 			switch (mstype) {
diff --git a/fs/dlm/user.c b/fs/dlm/user.c
index 695e691b38b3..9f9b68448830 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/user.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/user.c
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ static ssize_t device_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf, size_t count,
 	struct dlm_lkb *lkb;
 	DECLARE_WAITQUEUE(wait, current);
 	struct dlm_callback *cb;
-	int rv, copy_lvb = 0;
+	int rv, ret, copy_lvb = 0;
 	int old_mode, new_mode;
 
 	if (count == sizeof(struct dlm_device_version)) {
@@ -906,9 +906,9 @@ static ssize_t device_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf, size_t count,
 		trace_dlm_ast(lkb->lkb_resource->res_ls, lkb);
 	}
 
-	rv = copy_result_to_user(lkb->lkb_ua,
-				 test_bit(DLM_PROC_FLAGS_COMPAT, &proc->flags),
-				 cb->flags, cb->mode, copy_lvb, buf, count);
+	ret = copy_result_to_user(lkb->lkb_ua,
+				  test_bit(DLM_PROC_FLAGS_COMPAT, &proc->flags),
+				  cb->flags, cb->mode, copy_lvb, buf, count);
 
 	kref_put(&cb->ref, dlm_release_callback);
 
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ static ssize_t device_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf, size_t count,
 	if (rv == DLM_DEQUEUE_CALLBACK_LAST)
 		dlm_put_lkb(lkb);
 
-	return rv;
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static __poll_t device_poll(struct file *file, poll_table *wait)