diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/9p.rst b/Documentation/filesystems/9p.rst
index be3504ca034a8..b014c7aabba4e 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/9p.rst
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/9p.rst
@@ -238,6 +238,11 @@ Options
   cachetag	cache tag to use the specified persistent cache.
 		cache tags for existing cache sessions can be listed at
 		/sys/fs/9p/caches. (applies only to cache=fscache)
+
+  negtimeout    the duration (in milliseconds) that negative dentries (paths
+                that do not actually exist) are retained in the cache. If
+                set to a negative value, those entries are kept indefinitely
+                until evicted by the buffer cache management system
   ============= ===============================================================
 
 Behavior
diff --git a/fs/9p/fid.c b/fs/9p/fid.c
index f84412290a30c..76242d450aa7c 100644
--- a/fs/9p/fid.c
+++ b/fs/9p/fid.c
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@
 
 static inline void __add_fid(struct dentry *dentry, struct p9_fid *fid)
 {
-	hlist_add_head(&fid->dlist, (struct hlist_head *)&dentry->d_fsdata);
+	struct v9fs_dentry *v9fs_dentry = to_v9fs_dentry(dentry);
+
+	hlist_add_head(&fid->dlist, &v9fs_dentry->head);
 }
 
 
@@ -112,6 +114,7 @@ void v9fs_open_fid_add(struct inode *inode, struct p9_fid **pfid)
 
 static struct p9_fid *v9fs_fid_find(struct dentry *dentry, kuid_t uid, int any)
 {
+	struct v9fs_dentry *v9fs_dentry = to_v9fs_dentry(dentry);
 	struct p9_fid *fid, *ret;
 
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, " dentry: %pd (%p) uid %d any %d\n",
@@ -119,11 +122,9 @@ static struct p9_fid *v9fs_fid_find(struct dentry *dentry, kuid_t uid, int any)
 		 any);
 	ret = NULL;
 	/* we'll recheck under lock if there's anything to look in */
-	if (dentry->d_fsdata) {
-		struct hlist_head *h = (struct hlist_head *)&dentry->d_fsdata;
-
+	if (!hlist_empty(&v9fs_dentry->head)) {
 		spin_lock(&dentry->d_lock);
-		hlist_for_each_entry(fid, h, dlist) {
+		hlist_for_each_entry(fid, &v9fs_dentry->head, dlist) {
 			if (any || uid_eq(fid->uid, uid)) {
 				ret = fid;
 				p9_fid_get(ret);
diff --git a/fs/9p/v9fs.c b/fs/9p/v9fs.c
index 057487efaaeb2..79b6a8b82779e 100644
--- a/fs/9p/v9fs.c
+++ b/fs/9p/v9fs.c
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 #include "v9fs_vfs.h"
 #include "cache.h"
 
+/* cache=loose default negative dentry retention time is 24hours */
+#define CACHE_LOOSE_NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
+
 static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(v9fs_sessionlist_lock);
 static LIST_HEAD(v9fs_sessionlist);
 struct kmem_cache *v9fs_inode_cache;
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ enum {
 	 * source if we rejected it as EINVAL */
 	Opt_source,
 	/* Options that take integer arguments */
-	Opt_debug, Opt_dfltuid, Opt_dfltgid, Opt_afid,
+	Opt_debug, Opt_dfltuid, Opt_dfltgid, Opt_afid, Opt_negtimeout,
 	/* String options */
 	Opt_uname, Opt_remotename, Opt_cache, Opt_cachetag,
 	/* Options that take no arguments */
@@ -93,6 +96,7 @@ const struct fs_parameter_spec v9fs_param_spec[] = {
 	fsparam_string	("access",	Opt_access),
 	fsparam_flag	("posixacl",	Opt_posixacl),
 	fsparam_u32	("locktimeout",	Opt_locktimeout),
+	fsparam_s32	("negtimeout",	Opt_negtimeout),
 
 	/* client options */
 	fsparam_u32	("msize",	Opt_msize),
@@ -159,6 +163,9 @@ int v9fs_show_options(struct seq_file *m, struct dentry *root)
 			   from_kgid_munged(&init_user_ns, v9ses->dfltgid));
 	if (v9ses->afid != ~0)
 		seq_printf(m, ",afid=%u", v9ses->afid);
+	if (v9ses->flags & V9FS_NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_SET)
+		seq_printf(m, ",negtimeout=%d",
+			   (int)v9ses->ndentry_timeout_ms);
 	if (strcmp(v9ses->uname, V9FS_DEFUSER) != 0)
 		seq_printf(m, ",uname=%s", v9ses->uname);
 	if (strcmp(v9ses->aname, V9FS_DEFANAME) != 0)
@@ -337,6 +344,16 @@ int v9fs_parse_param(struct fs_context *fc, struct fs_parameter *param)
 		session_opts->session_lock_timeout = (long)result.uint_32 * HZ;
 		break;
 
+	case Opt_negtimeout:
+		session_opts->flags |= V9FS_NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_SET;
+		if (result.int_32 < 0) {
+			session_opts->ndentry_timeout_ms =
+				NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_NEVER;
+		} else {
+			session_opts->ndentry_timeout_ms = result.int_32;
+		}
+		break;
+
 	/* Options for client */
 	case Opt_msize:
 		if (result.uint_32 < 4096) {
@@ -422,6 +439,14 @@ static void v9fs_apply_options(struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses,
 	v9ses->cache = ctx->session_opts.cache;
 	v9ses->uid = ctx->session_opts.uid;
 	v9ses->session_lock_timeout = ctx->session_opts.session_lock_timeout;
+	v9ses->ndentry_timeout_ms = ctx->session_opts.ndentry_timeout_ms;
+
+	/* If negative dentry timeout has not been overriden set default for
+	 * cache=loose
+	 */
+	if (!(v9ses->flags & V9FS_NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_SET) &&
+	    (v9ses->cache & CACHE_LOOSE))
+		v9ses->ndentry_timeout_ms = CACHE_LOOSE_NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/fs/9p/v9fs.h b/fs/9p/v9fs.h
index 6a12445d38582..32179f64a603d 100644
--- a/fs/9p/v9fs.h
+++ b/fs/9p/v9fs.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
  * @V9FS_ACCESS_ANY: use a single attach for all users
  * @V9FS_ACCESS_MASK: bit mask of different ACCESS options
  * @V9FS_POSIX_ACL: POSIX ACLs are enforced
+ * @V9FS_NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_SET: Has negative dentry timeout retention time been
+ *                            overriden by ndentrycache mount option
  *
  * Session flags reflect options selected by users at mount time
  */
@@ -34,16 +36,17 @@
 #define V9FS_ACL_MASK V9FS_POSIX_ACL
 
 enum p9_session_flags {
-	V9FS_PROTO_2000U    = 0x01,
-	V9FS_PROTO_2000L    = 0x02,
-	V9FS_ACCESS_SINGLE  = 0x04,
-	V9FS_ACCESS_USER    = 0x08,
-	V9FS_ACCESS_CLIENT  = 0x10,
-	V9FS_POSIX_ACL      = 0x20,
-	V9FS_NO_XATTR       = 0x40,
-	V9FS_IGNORE_QV      = 0x80, /* ignore qid.version for cache hints */
-	V9FS_DIRECT_IO      = 0x100,
-	V9FS_SYNC           = 0x200
+	V9FS_PROTO_2000U         = 0x01,
+	V9FS_PROTO_2000L         = 0x02,
+	V9FS_ACCESS_SINGLE       = 0x04,
+	V9FS_ACCESS_USER         = 0x08,
+	V9FS_ACCESS_CLIENT       = 0x10,
+	V9FS_POSIX_ACL           = 0x20,
+	V9FS_NO_XATTR            = 0x40,
+	V9FS_IGNORE_QV           = 0x80, /* ignore qid.version for cache hints */
+	V9FS_DIRECT_IO           = 0x100,
+	V9FS_SYNC                = 0x200,
+	V9FS_NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_SET = 0x400,
 };
 
 /**
@@ -91,6 +94,7 @@ enum p9_cache_bits {
  * @debug: debug level
  * @afid: authentication handle
  * @cache: cache mode of type &p9_cache_bits
+ * @ndentry_timeout: Negative dentry lookup cache retention time in ms
  * @cachetag: the tag of the cache associated with this session
  * @fscache: session cookie associated with FS-Cache
  * @uname: string user name to mount hierarchy as
@@ -101,6 +105,7 @@ enum p9_cache_bits {
  * @uid: if %V9FS_ACCESS_SINGLE, the numeric uid which mounted the hierarchy
  * @clnt: reference to 9P network client instantiated for this session
  * @slist: reference to list of registered 9p sessions
+ * @ndentry_timeout_ms: Negative dentry caching retention time
  *
  * This structure holds state for each session instance established during
  * a sys_mount() .
@@ -116,6 +121,7 @@ struct v9fs_session_info {
 	unsigned short debug;
 	unsigned int afid;
 	unsigned int cache;
+	unsigned int ndentry_timeout_ms;
 #ifdef CONFIG_9P_FSCACHE
 	char *cachetag;
 	struct fscache_volume *fscache;
@@ -133,6 +139,8 @@ struct v9fs_session_info {
 	long session_lock_timeout; /* retry interval for blocking locks */
 };
 
+#define NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_NEVER (-1U)
+
 /* cache_validity flags */
 #define V9FS_INO_INVALID_ATTR 0x01
 
diff --git a/fs/9p/v9fs_vfs.h b/fs/9p/v9fs_vfs.h
index d3aefbec4de6e..83c2335f438da 100644
--- a/fs/9p/v9fs_vfs.h
+++ b/fs/9p/v9fs_vfs.h
@@ -28,6 +28,19 @@
 /* flags for v9fs_stat2inode() & v9fs_stat2inode_dotl() */
 #define V9FS_STAT2INODE_KEEP_ISIZE 1
 
+/**
+ * struct v9fs_dentry - v9fs specific dentry data
+ * @head: List of fid associated with this dentry
+ * @expire_time: Lookup cache expiration time for negative dentries
+ * @rcu: used by kfree_rcu to schedule clean up job
+ */
+struct v9fs_dentry {
+	struct hlist_head head;
+	u64 expire_time;
+	struct rcu_head rcu;
+};
+#define to_v9fs_dentry(d) ((struct v9fs_dentry *)((d)->d_fsdata))
+
 extern struct file_system_type v9fs_fs_type;
 extern const struct address_space_operations v9fs_addr_operations;
 extern const struct file_operations v9fs_file_operations;
@@ -35,6 +48,8 @@ extern const struct file_operations v9fs_file_operations_dotl;
 extern const struct file_operations v9fs_dir_operations;
 extern const struct file_operations v9fs_dir_operations_dotl;
 extern const struct dentry_operations v9fs_dentry_operations;
+extern void v9fs_ndentry_refresh_timeout(struct dentry *dentry);
+extern void v9fs_dentry_fid_remove(struct dentry *dentry);
 extern const struct dentry_operations v9fs_cached_dentry_operations;
 extern struct kmem_cache *v9fs_inode_cache;
 
diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_addr.c b/fs/9p/vfs_addr.c
index 862164181baca..899224697aaf7 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_addr.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_addr.c
@@ -70,11 +70,31 @@ static void v9fs_issue_read(struct netfs_io_subrequest *subreq)
 {
 	struct netfs_io_request *rreq = subreq->rreq;
 	struct p9_fid *fid = rreq->netfs_priv;
+	char *target;
 	unsigned long long pos = subreq->start + subreq->transferred;
-	int total, err;
-
-	total = p9_client_read(fid, pos, &subreq->io_iter, &err);
+	int total = 0, err, len, n;
+
+	if (S_ISLNK(rreq->inode->i_mode)) {
+		/* p9_client_readlink() must not be called for legacy protocols
+		 * 9p2000 or 9p2000.u.
+		 */
+		BUG_ON(!p9_is_proto_dotl(fid->clnt));
+		err = p9_client_readlink(fid, &target);
+		if (err != 0)
+			goto fill_subreq;
+		len = strnlen(target, PAGE_SIZE - 1);
+		n = copy_to_iter(target, len, &subreq->io_iter);
+		kfree(target);
+		if (n != len) {
+			err = -EFAULT;
+			goto fill_subreq;
+		}
+		total = i_size_read(rreq->inode);
+	} else {
+		total = p9_client_read(fid, pos, &subreq->io_iter, &err);
+	}
 
+fill_subreq:
 	/* if we just extended the file size, any portion not in
 	 * cache won't be on server and is zeroes */
 	if (subreq->rreq->origin != NETFS_UNBUFFERED_READ &&
@@ -99,6 +119,7 @@ static void v9fs_issue_read(struct netfs_io_subrequest *subreq)
 static int v9fs_init_request(struct netfs_io_request *rreq, struct file *file)
 {
 	struct p9_fid *fid;
+	struct dentry *dentry;
 	bool writing = (rreq->origin == NETFS_READ_FOR_WRITE ||
 			rreq->origin == NETFS_WRITETHROUGH ||
 			rreq->origin == NETFS_UNBUFFERED_WRITE ||
@@ -115,6 +136,14 @@ static int v9fs_init_request(struct netfs_io_request *rreq, struct file *file)
 		if (!fid)
 			goto no_fid;
 		p9_fid_get(fid);
+	} else if (S_ISLNK(rreq->inode->i_mode)) {
+		dentry = d_find_alias(rreq->inode);
+		if (!dentry)
+			goto no_fid;
+		fid = v9fs_fid_lookup(dentry);
+		dput(dentry);
+		if (IS_ERR(fid))
+			goto no_fid;
 	} else {
 		fid = v9fs_fid_find_inode(rreq->inode, writing, INVALID_UID, true);
 		if (!fid)
diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_dentry.c b/fs/9p/vfs_dentry.c
index c5bf74d547e84..e549e222602ee 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_dentry.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_dentry.c
@@ -23,6 +23,46 @@
 #include "v9fs_vfs.h"
 #include "fid.h"
 
+/**
+ * v9fs_ndentry_is_expired - Check if negative dentry lookup has expired
+ *
+ * This should be called to know if a negative dentry should be removed from
+ * cache.
+ *
+ * @dentry: dentry in question
+ *
+ */
+static bool v9fs_ndentry_is_expired(struct dentry const *dentry)
+{
+	struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses = v9fs_dentry2v9ses(dentry);
+	struct v9fs_dentry *v9fs_dentry = to_v9fs_dentry(dentry);
+
+	if (v9ses->ndentry_timeout_ms == NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_NEVER)
+		return false;
+
+	return time_before_eq64(v9fs_dentry->expire_time, get_jiffies_64());
+}
+
+/**
+ * v9fs_ndentry_refresh_timeout - Refresh negative dentry lookup cache timeout
+ *
+ * This should be called when a look up yields a negative entry.
+ *
+ * @dentry: dentry in question
+ *
+ */
+void v9fs_ndentry_refresh_timeout(struct dentry *dentry)
+{
+	struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses = v9fs_dentry2v9ses(dentry);
+	struct v9fs_dentry *v9fs_dentry = to_v9fs_dentry(dentry);
+
+	if (v9ses->ndentry_timeout_ms == NDENTRY_TIMEOUT_NEVER)
+		return;
+
+	v9fs_dentry->expire_time = get_jiffies_64() +
+				   msecs_to_jiffies(v9ses->ndentry_timeout_ms);
+}
+
 /**
  * v9fs_cached_dentry_delete - called when dentry refcount equals 0
  * @dentry:  dentry in question
@@ -33,20 +73,15 @@ static int v9fs_cached_dentry_delete(const struct dentry *dentry)
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, " dentry: %pd (%p)\n",
 		 dentry, dentry);
 
-	/* Don't cache negative dentries */
-	if (d_really_is_negative(dentry))
-		return 1;
-	return 0;
-}
+	if (!d_really_is_negative(dentry))
+		return 0;
 
-/**
- * v9fs_dentry_release - called when dentry is going to be freed
- * @dentry:  dentry that is being release
- *
- */
+	return v9fs_ndentry_is_expired(dentry);
+}
 
-static void v9fs_dentry_release(struct dentry *dentry)
+static void __v9fs_dentry_fid_remove(struct dentry *dentry)
 {
+	struct v9fs_dentry *v9fs_dentry = to_v9fs_dentry(dentry);
 	struct hlist_node *p, *n;
 	struct hlist_head head;
 
@@ -54,13 +89,54 @@ static void v9fs_dentry_release(struct dentry *dentry)
 		 dentry, dentry);
 
 	spin_lock(&dentry->d_lock);
-	hlist_move_list((struct hlist_head *)&dentry->d_fsdata, &head);
+	hlist_move_list(&v9fs_dentry->head, &head);
 	spin_unlock(&dentry->d_lock);
 
 	hlist_for_each_safe(p, n, &head)
 		p9_fid_put(hlist_entry(p, struct p9_fid, dlist));
 }
 
+/**
+ * v9fs_dentry_fid_remove - Release all dentry's fids
+ * @dentry: dentry in question
+ *
+ */
+void v9fs_dentry_fid_remove(struct dentry *dentry)
+{
+	__v9fs_dentry_fid_remove(dentry);
+}
+
+/**
+ * v9fs_dentry_init - Initialize v9fs dentry data
+ * @dentry: dentry in question
+ *
+ */
+static int v9fs_dentry_init(struct dentry *dentry)
+{
+	struct v9fs_dentry *v9fs_dentry = kzalloc(sizeof(*v9fs_dentry),
+						  GFP_KERNEL);
+
+	if (!v9fs_dentry)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	INIT_HLIST_HEAD(&v9fs_dentry->head);
+	dentry->d_fsdata = (void *)v9fs_dentry;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * v9fs_dentry_release - called when dentry is going to be freed
+ * @dentry:  dentry that is being released
+ *
+ */
+static void v9fs_dentry_release(struct dentry *dentry)
+{
+	struct v9fs_dentry *v9fs_dentry = to_v9fs_dentry(dentry);
+
+	__v9fs_dentry_fid_remove(dentry);
+	kfree_rcu(v9fs_dentry, rcu);
+}
+
 static int __v9fs_lookup_revalidate(struct dentry *dentry, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	struct p9_fid *fid;
@@ -72,7 +148,7 @@ static int __v9fs_lookup_revalidate(struct dentry *dentry, unsigned int flags)
 
 	inode = d_inode(dentry);
 	if (!inode)
-		goto out_valid;
+		return !v9fs_ndentry_is_expired(dentry);
 
 	v9inode = V9FS_I(inode);
 	if (v9inode->cache_validity & V9FS_INO_INVALID_ATTR) {
@@ -112,7 +188,6 @@ static int __v9fs_lookup_revalidate(struct dentry *dentry, unsigned int flags)
 			return retval;
 		}
 	}
-out_valid:
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, "dentry: %pd (%p) is valid\n", dentry, dentry);
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -139,12 +214,14 @@ const struct dentry_operations v9fs_cached_dentry_operations = {
 	.d_revalidate = v9fs_lookup_revalidate,
 	.d_weak_revalidate = __v9fs_lookup_revalidate,
 	.d_delete = v9fs_cached_dentry_delete,
+	.d_init = v9fs_dentry_init,
 	.d_release = v9fs_dentry_release,
 	.d_unalias_trylock = v9fs_dentry_unalias_trylock,
 	.d_unalias_unlock = v9fs_dentry_unalias_unlock,
 };
 
 const struct dentry_operations v9fs_dentry_operations = {
+	.d_init = v9fs_dentry_init,
 	.d_release = v9fs_dentry_release,
 	.d_unalias_trylock = v9fs_dentry_unalias_trylock,
 	.d_unalias_unlock = v9fs_dentry_unalias_unlock,
diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
index 97abe65bf7c1f..98644f27d6f1c 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
@@ -302,10 +302,12 @@ int v9fs_init_inode(struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses,
 			goto error;
 		}
 
-		if (v9fs_proto_dotl(v9ses))
+		if (v9fs_proto_dotl(v9ses)) {
 			inode->i_op = &v9fs_symlink_inode_operations_dotl;
-		else
+			inode_nohighmem(inode);
+		} else {
 			inode->i_op = &v9fs_symlink_inode_operations;
+		}
 
 		break;
 	case S_IFDIR:
@@ -549,7 +551,7 @@ static int v9fs_remove(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry, int flags)
 
 		/* invalidate all fids associated with dentry */
 		/* NOTE: This will not include open fids */
-		dentry->d_op->d_release(dentry);
+		v9fs_dentry_fid_remove(dentry);
 	}
 	return retval;
 }
@@ -732,14 +734,16 @@ struct dentry *v9fs_vfs_lookup(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 	name = dentry->d_name.name;
 	fid = p9_client_walk(dfid, 1, &name, 1);
 	p9_fid_put(dfid);
-	if (fid == ERR_PTR(-ENOENT))
+	if (fid == ERR_PTR(-ENOENT)) {
 		inode = NULL;
-	else if (IS_ERR(fid))
+		v9fs_ndentry_refresh_timeout(dentry);
+	} else if (IS_ERR(fid)) {
 		inode = ERR_CAST(fid);
-	else if (v9ses->cache & (CACHE_META|CACHE_LOOSE))
+	} else if (v9ses->cache & (CACHE_META|CACHE_LOOSE)) {
 		inode = v9fs_get_inode_from_fid(v9ses, fid, dir->i_sb);
-	else
+	} else {
 		inode = v9fs_get_new_inode_from_fid(v9ses, fid, dir->i_sb);
+	}
 	/*
 	 * If we had a rename on the server and a parallel lookup
 	 * for the new name, then make sure we instantiate with
diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c b/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
index 643e759eacb2a..72918f90b2788 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_inode_dotl.c
@@ -686,9 +686,12 @@ v9fs_vfs_symlink_dotl(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
 	int err;
 	kgid_t gid;
 	const unsigned char *name;
+	struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses;
 	struct p9_qid qid;
 	struct p9_fid *dfid;
 	struct p9_fid *fid = NULL;
+	struct inode *inode;
+	struct posix_acl *dacl = NULL, *pacl = NULL;
 
 	name = dentry->d_name.name;
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, "%lu,%s,%s\n", dir->i_ino, name, symname);
@@ -712,8 +715,29 @@ v9fs_vfs_symlink_dotl(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
 
 	v9fs_invalidate_inode_attr(dir);
 
+	/* instantiate inode and assign the unopened fid to the dentry */
+	fid = p9_client_walk(dfid, 1, &name, 1);
+	if (IS_ERR(fid)) {
+		err = PTR_ERR(fid);
+		p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, "p9_client_walk failed %d\n",
+			 err);
+		goto error;
+	}
+
+	v9ses = v9fs_inode2v9ses(dir);
+	inode = v9fs_get_new_inode_from_fid(v9ses, fid, dir->i_sb);
+	if (IS_ERR(inode)) {
+		err = PTR_ERR(inode);
+		p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, "inode creation failed %d\n",
+			 err);
+		goto error;
+	}
+	v9fs_fid_add(dentry, &fid);
+	d_instantiate(dentry, inode);
+	err = 0;
 error:
 	p9_fid_put(fid);
+	v9fs_put_acl(dacl, pacl);
 	p9_fid_put(dfid);
 	return err;
 }
@@ -853,24 +877,23 @@ v9fs_vfs_mknod_dotl(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
 }
 
 /**
- * v9fs_vfs_get_link_dotl - follow a symlink path
+ * v9fs_vfs_get_link_nocache_dotl - Resolve a symlink directly.
+ *
+ * To be used when symlink caching is not enabled.
+ *
  * @dentry: dentry for symlink
  * @inode: inode for symlink
  * @done: destructor for return value
  */
-
 static const char *
-v9fs_vfs_get_link_dotl(struct dentry *dentry,
-		       struct inode *inode,
-		       struct delayed_call *done)
+v9fs_vfs_get_link_nocache_dotl(struct dentry *dentry,
+			       struct inode *inode,
+			       struct delayed_call *done)
 {
 	struct p9_fid *fid;
 	char *target;
 	int retval;
 
-	if (!dentry)
-		return ERR_PTR(-ECHILD);
-
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, "%pd\n", dentry);
 
 	fid = v9fs_fid_lookup(dentry);
@@ -884,6 +907,29 @@ v9fs_vfs_get_link_dotl(struct dentry *dentry,
 	return target;
 }
 
+/**
+ * v9fs_vfs_get_link_dotl - follow a symlink path
+ * @dentry: dentry for symlink
+ * @inode: inode for symlink
+ * @done: destructor for return value
+ */
+static const char *
+v9fs_vfs_get_link_dotl(struct dentry *dentry,
+		       struct inode *inode,
+		       struct delayed_call *done)
+{
+	struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses;
+
+	if (!dentry)
+		return ERR_PTR(-ECHILD);
+
+	v9ses = v9fs_inode2v9ses(inode);
+	if (v9ses->cache & (CACHE_META|CACHE_LOOSE))
+		return page_get_link(dentry, inode, done);
+
+	return v9fs_vfs_get_link_nocache_dotl(dentry, inode, done);
+}
+
 int v9fs_refresh_inode_dotl(struct p9_fid *fid, struct inode *inode)
 {
 	struct p9_stat_dotl *st;
diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_super.c b/fs/9p/vfs_super.c
index 0a1c4f7cb001d..3b2a906528cde 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_super.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_super.c
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ static int v9fs_init_fs_context(struct fs_context *fc)
 	ctx->session_opts.uid = INVALID_UID;
 	ctx->session_opts.dfltuid = V9FS_DEFUID;
 	ctx->session_opts.dfltgid = V9FS_DEFGID;
+	ctx->session_opts.ndentry_timeout_ms = 0;
 
 	/* initialize client options */
 	ctx->client_opts.proto_version = p9_proto_2000L;
diff --git a/include/net/9p/client.h b/include/net/9p/client.h
index 838a94218b593..55c6cb54bd254 100644
--- a/include/net/9p/client.h
+++ b/include/net/9p/client.h
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ struct p9_rdma_opts {
  * @dfltgid: default numeric groupid to mount hierarchy as
  * @uid: if %V9FS_ACCESS_SINGLE, the numeric uid which mounted the hierarchy
  * @session_lock_timeout: retry interval for blocking locks
+ * @ndentry_timeout_ms: Negative dentry lookup cache retention time in ms
  *
  * This strucure holds options which are parsed and will be transferred
  * to the v9fs_session_info structure when mounted, and therefore largely
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ struct p9_session_opts {
 	unsigned short debug;
 	unsigned int afid;
 	unsigned int cache;
+	unsigned int ndentry_timeout_ms;
 #ifdef CONFIG_9P_FSCACHE
 	char *cachetag;
 #endif