diff --git a/fs/gfs2/glock.c b/fs/gfs2/glock.c
index 02cd0ae98208..8f30ad956270 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/glock.c
+++ b/fs/gfs2/glock.c
@@ -301,46 +301,59 @@ void gfs2_glock_put(struct gfs2_glock *gl)
 }
 
 /**
- * may_grant - check if its ok to grant a new lock
+ * may_grant - check if it's ok to grant a new lock
  * @gl: The glock
+ * @current_gh: One of the current holders of @gl
  * @gh: The lock request which we wish to grant
  *
- * Returns: true if its ok to grant the lock
+ * With our current compatibility rules, if a glock has one or more active
+ * holders (HIF_HOLDER flag set), any of those holders can be passed in as
+ * @current_gh; they are all the same as far as compatibility with the new @gh
+ * goes.
+ *
+ * Returns true if it's ok to grant the lock.
  */
 
-static inline int may_grant(const struct gfs2_glock *gl, const struct gfs2_holder *gh)
-{
-	const struct gfs2_holder *gh_head = list_first_entry(&gl->gl_holders, const struct gfs2_holder, gh_list);
+static inline bool may_grant(struct gfs2_glock *gl,
+			     struct gfs2_holder *current_gh,
+			     struct gfs2_holder *gh)
+{
+	if (current_gh) {
+		GLOCK_BUG_ON(gl, !test_bit(HIF_HOLDER, &current_gh->gh_iflags));
+
+		switch(current_gh->gh_state) {
+		case LM_ST_EXCLUSIVE:
+			/*
+			 * Here we make a special exception to grant holders
+			 * who agree to share the EX lock with other holders
+			 * who also have the bit set. If the original holder
+			 * has the LM_FLAG_NODE_SCOPE bit set, we grant more
+			 * holders with the bit set.
+			 */
+			return gh->gh_state == LM_ST_EXCLUSIVE &&
+			       (current_gh->gh_flags & LM_FLAG_NODE_SCOPE) &&
+			       (gh->gh_flags & LM_FLAG_NODE_SCOPE);
 
-	if (gh != gh_head) {
-		/**
-		 * Here we make a special exception to grant holders who agree
-		 * to share the EX lock with other holders who also have the
-		 * bit set. If the original holder has the LM_FLAG_NODE_SCOPE bit
-		 * is set, we grant more holders with the bit set.
-		 */
-		if (gh_head->gh_state == LM_ST_EXCLUSIVE &&
-		    (gh_head->gh_flags & LM_FLAG_NODE_SCOPE) &&
-		    gh->gh_state == LM_ST_EXCLUSIVE &&
-		    (gh->gh_flags & LM_FLAG_NODE_SCOPE))
-			return 1;
-		if ((gh->gh_state == LM_ST_EXCLUSIVE ||
-		     gh_head->gh_state == LM_ST_EXCLUSIVE))
-			return 0;
+		case LM_ST_SHARED:
+		case LM_ST_DEFERRED:
+			return gh->gh_state == current_gh->gh_state;
+
+		default:
+			return false;
+		}
 	}
+
 	if (gl->gl_state == gh->gh_state)
-		return 1;
+		return true;
 	if (gh->gh_flags & GL_EXACT)
-		return 0;
+		return false;
 	if (gl->gl_state == LM_ST_EXCLUSIVE) {
-		if (gh->gh_state == LM_ST_SHARED && gh_head->gh_state == LM_ST_SHARED)
-			return 1;
-		if (gh->gh_state == LM_ST_DEFERRED && gh_head->gh_state == LM_ST_DEFERRED)
-			return 1;
+		return gh->gh_state == LM_ST_SHARED ||
+		       gh->gh_state == LM_ST_DEFERRED;
 	}
-	if (gl->gl_state != LM_ST_UNLOCKED && (gh->gh_flags & LM_FLAG_ANY))
-		return 1;
-	return 0;
+	if (gh->gh_flags & LM_FLAG_ANY)
+		return gl->gl_state != LM_ST_UNLOCKED;
+	return false;
 }
 
 static void gfs2_holder_wake(struct gfs2_holder *gh)
@@ -380,6 +393,24 @@ static void do_error(struct gfs2_glock *gl, const int ret)
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * find_first_holder - find the first "holder" gh
+ * @gl: the glock
+ */
+
+static inline struct gfs2_holder *find_first_holder(const struct gfs2_glock *gl)
+{
+	struct gfs2_holder *gh;
+
+	if (!list_empty(&gl->gl_holders)) {
+		gh = list_first_entry(&gl->gl_holders, struct gfs2_holder,
+				      gh_list);
+		if (test_bit(HIF_HOLDER, &gh->gh_iflags))
+			return gh;
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 /**
  * do_promote - promote as many requests as possible on the current queue
  * @gl: The glock
@@ -393,14 +424,15 @@ __releases(&gl->gl_lockref.lock)
 __acquires(&gl->gl_lockref.lock)
 {
 	const struct gfs2_glock_operations *glops = gl->gl_ops;
-	struct gfs2_holder *gh, *tmp;
+	struct gfs2_holder *gh, *tmp, *first_gh;
 	int ret;
 
 restart:
+	first_gh = find_first_holder(gl);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(gh, tmp, &gl->gl_holders, gh_list) {
 		if (test_bit(HIF_HOLDER, &gh->gh_iflags))
 			continue;
-		if (may_grant(gl, gh)) {
+		if (may_grant(gl, first_gh, gh)) {
 			if (gh->gh_list.prev == &gl->gl_holders &&
 			    glops->go_lock) {
 				spin_unlock(&gl->gl_lockref.lock);
@@ -722,23 +754,6 @@ __acquires(&gl->gl_lockref.lock)
 	spin_lock(&gl->gl_lockref.lock);
 }
 
-/**
- * find_first_holder - find the first "holder" gh
- * @gl: the glock
- */
-
-static inline struct gfs2_holder *find_first_holder(const struct gfs2_glock *gl)
-{
-	struct gfs2_holder *gh;
-
-	if (!list_empty(&gl->gl_holders)) {
-		gh = list_first_entry(&gl->gl_holders, struct gfs2_holder, gh_list);
-		if (test_bit(HIF_HOLDER, &gh->gh_iflags))
-			return gh;
-	}
-	return NULL;
-}
-
 /**
  * run_queue - do all outstanding tasks related to a glock
  * @gl: The glock in question
@@ -1354,8 +1369,12 @@ __acquires(&gl->gl_lockref.lock)
 		GLOCK_BUG_ON(gl, true);
 
 	if (gh->gh_flags & (LM_FLAG_TRY | LM_FLAG_TRY_1CB)) {
-		if (test_bit(GLF_LOCK, &gl->gl_flags))
-			try_futile = !may_grant(gl, gh);
+		if (test_bit(GLF_LOCK, &gl->gl_flags)) {
+			struct gfs2_holder *first_gh;
+
+			first_gh = find_first_holder(gl);
+			try_futile = !may_grant(gl, first_gh, gh);
+		}
 		if (test_bit(GLF_INVALIDATE_IN_PROGRESS, &gl->gl_flags))
 			goto fail;
 	}
