diff --git a/kernel/futex.c b/kernel/futex.c
index 0518a0b..ca5bb9c 100644
--- a/kernel/futex.c
+++ b/kernel/futex.c
@@ -903,11 +903,27 @@
 	 */
 	raw_spin_lock_irq(&curr->pi_lock);
 	while (!list_empty(head)) {
-
 		next = head->next;
 		pi_state = list_entry(next, struct futex_pi_state, list);
 		key = pi_state->key;
 		hb = hash_futex(&key);
+
+		/*
+		 * We can race against put_pi_state() removing itself from the
+		 * list (a waiter going away). put_pi_state() will first
+		 * decrement the reference count and then modify the list, so
+		 * its possible to see the list entry but fail this reference
+		 * acquire.
+		 *
+		 * In that case; drop the locks to let put_pi_state() make
+		 * progress and retry the loop.
+		 */
+		if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&pi_state->refcount)) {
+			raw_spin_unlock_irq(&curr->pi_lock);
+			cpu_relax();
+			raw_spin_lock_irq(&curr->pi_lock);
+			continue;
+		}
 		raw_spin_unlock_irq(&curr->pi_lock);
 
 		spin_lock(&hb->lock);
@@ -918,8 +934,10 @@
 		 * task still owns the PI-state:
 		 */
 		if (head->next != next) {
+			/* retain curr->pi_lock for the loop invariant */
 			raw_spin_unlock(&pi_state->pi_mutex.wait_lock);
 			spin_unlock(&hb->lock);
+			put_pi_state(pi_state);
 			continue;
 		}
 
@@ -927,9 +945,8 @@
 		WARN_ON(list_empty(&pi_state->list));
 		list_del_init(&pi_state->list);
 		pi_state->owner = NULL;
-		raw_spin_unlock(&curr->pi_lock);
 
-		get_pi_state(pi_state);
+		raw_spin_unlock(&curr->pi_lock);
 		raw_spin_unlock_irq(&pi_state->pi_mutex.wait_lock);
 		spin_unlock(&hb->lock);