diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c b/arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c
index 62bea7307eaa..bfba6019d762 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c
@@ -239,6 +239,49 @@ static void kgdb_correct_hw_break(void)
 	hw_breakpoint_restore();
 }
 
+static int hw_break_reserve_slot(int breakno)
+{
+	int cpu;
+	int cnt = 0;
+	struct perf_event **pevent;
+
+	for_each_online_cpu(cpu) {
+		cnt++;
+		pevent = per_cpu_ptr(breakinfo[breakno].pev, cpu);
+		if (dbg_reserve_bp_slot(*pevent))
+			goto fail;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+
+fail:
+	for_each_online_cpu(cpu) {
+		cnt--;
+		if (!cnt)
+			break;
+		pevent = per_cpu_ptr(breakinfo[breakno].pev, cpu);
+		dbg_release_bp_slot(*pevent);
+	}
+	return -1;
+}
+
+static int hw_break_release_slot(int breakno)
+{
+	struct perf_event **pevent;
+	int cpu;
+
+	for_each_online_cpu(cpu) {
+		pevent = per_cpu_ptr(breakinfo[breakno].pev, cpu);
+		if (dbg_release_bp_slot(*pevent))
+			/*
+			 * The debugger is responisble for handing the retry on
+			 * remove failure.
+			 */
+			return -1;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int
 kgdb_remove_hw_break(unsigned long addr, int len, enum kgdb_bptype bptype)
 {
@@ -250,6 +293,10 @@ kgdb_remove_hw_break(unsigned long addr, int len, enum kgdb_bptype bptype)
 	if (i == 4)
 		return -1;
 
+	if (hw_break_release_slot(i)) {
+		printk(KERN_ERR "Cannot remove hw breakpoint at %lx\n", addr);
+		return -1;
+	}
 	breakinfo[i].enabled = 0;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -316,6 +363,10 @@ kgdb_set_hw_break(unsigned long addr, int len, enum kgdb_bptype bptype)
 		return -1;
 	}
 	breakinfo[i].addr = addr;
+	if (hw_break_reserve_slot(i)) {
+		breakinfo[i].addr = 0;
+		return -1;
+	}
 	breakinfo[i].enabled = 1;
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/include/linux/hw_breakpoint.h b/include/linux/hw_breakpoint.h
index 41235c93e4e9..070ba0621738 100644
--- a/include/linux/hw_breakpoint.h
+++ b/include/linux/hw_breakpoint.h
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ extern int __register_perf_hw_breakpoint(struct perf_event *bp);
 extern void unregister_hw_breakpoint(struct perf_event *bp);
 extern void unregister_wide_hw_breakpoint(struct perf_event **cpu_events);
 
+extern int dbg_reserve_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp);
+extern int dbg_release_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp);
 extern int reserve_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp);
 extern void release_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp);
 
diff --git a/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c b/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
index c030ae657f20..8a5c7d55ac9f 100644
--- a/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
+++ b/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
@@ -243,38 +243,70 @@ static void toggle_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp, bool enable)
  *       ((per_cpu(nr_bp_flexible, *) > 1) + max(per_cpu(nr_cpu_bp_pinned, *))
  *            + max(per_cpu(nr_task_bp_pinned, *))) < HBP_NUM
  */
-int reserve_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp)
+static int __reserve_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp)
 {
 	struct bp_busy_slots slots = {0};
-	int ret = 0;
-
-	mutex_lock(&nr_bp_mutex);
 
 	fetch_bp_busy_slots(&slots, bp);
 
 	/* Flexible counters need to keep at least one slot */
-	if (slots.pinned + (!!slots.flexible) == HBP_NUM) {
-		ret = -ENOSPC;
-		goto end;
-	}
+	if (slots.pinned + (!!slots.flexible) == HBP_NUM)
+		return -ENOSPC;
 
 	toggle_bp_slot(bp, true);
 
-end:
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int reserve_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	mutex_lock(&nr_bp_mutex);
+
+	ret = __reserve_bp_slot(bp);
+
 	mutex_unlock(&nr_bp_mutex);
 
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static void __release_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp)
+{
+	toggle_bp_slot(bp, false);
+}
+
 void release_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp)
 {
 	mutex_lock(&nr_bp_mutex);
 
-	toggle_bp_slot(bp, false);
+	__release_bp_slot(bp);
 
 	mutex_unlock(&nr_bp_mutex);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Allow the kernel debugger to reserve breakpoint slots without
+ * taking a lock using the dbg_* variant of for the reserve and
+ * release breakpoint slots.
+ */
+int dbg_reserve_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp)
+{
+	if (mutex_is_locked(&nr_bp_mutex))
+		return -1;
+
+	return __reserve_bp_slot(bp);
+}
+
+int dbg_release_bp_slot(struct perf_event *bp)
+{
+	if (mutex_is_locked(&nr_bp_mutex))
+		return -1;
+
+	__release_bp_slot(bp);
+
+	return 0;
+}
 
 int register_perf_hw_breakpoint(struct perf_event *bp)
 {