diff --git a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
index adbd9acf817f..ffa31c671a64 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
@@ -1755,7 +1755,7 @@ int tty_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 {
 	struct tty_struct *tty = file_tty(filp);
 	struct tty_struct *o_tty;
-	int	pty_master, tty_closing, o_tty_closing, do_sleep;
+	int	pty_master, do_sleep, final;
 	int	idx;
 	char	buf[64];
 
@@ -1797,18 +1797,15 @@ int tty_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 	 * The test for the o_tty closing is necessary, since the master and
 	 * slave sides may close in any order.  If the slave side closes out
 	 * first, its count will be one, since the master side holds an open.
-	 * Thus this test wouldn't be triggered at the time the slave closes,
+	 * Thus this test wouldn't be triggered at the time the slave closed,
 	 * so we do it now.
 	 */
 	tty_lock_pair(tty, o_tty);
 
 	while (1) {
-		tty_closing = tty->count <= 1;
-		o_tty_closing = o_tty &&
-			(o_tty->count <= (pty_master ? 1 : 0));
 		do_sleep = 0;
 
-		if (tty_closing) {
+		if (tty->count <= 1) {
 			if (waitqueue_active(&tty->read_wait)) {
 				wake_up_poll(&tty->read_wait, POLLIN);
 				do_sleep++;
@@ -1818,7 +1815,7 @@ int tty_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 				do_sleep++;
 			}
 		}
-		if (o_tty_closing) {
+		if (pty_master && o_tty->count <= 1) {
 			if (waitqueue_active(&o_tty->read_wait)) {
 				wake_up_poll(&o_tty->read_wait, POLLIN);
 				do_sleep++;
@@ -1836,14 +1833,6 @@ int tty_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 		schedule();
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * The closing flags are now consistent with the open counts on
-	 * both sides, and we've completed the last operation that could
-	 * block, so it's safe to proceed with closing.
-	 *
-	 * We must *not* drop the tty_mutex until we ensure that a further
-	 * entry into tty_open can not pick up this tty.
-	 */
 	if (pty_master) {
 		if (--o_tty->count < 0) {
 			printk(KERN_WARNING "%s: bad pty slave count (%d) for %s\n",
@@ -1875,20 +1864,22 @@ int tty_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 	 * processes that still think tty or o_tty is their controlling
 	 * tty.
 	 */
-	if (tty_closing || o_tty_closing) {
+	if (!tty->count) {
 		read_lock(&tasklist_lock);
 		session_clear_tty(tty->session);
-		if (o_tty)
+		if (pty_master)
 			session_clear_tty(o_tty->session);
 		read_unlock(&tasklist_lock);
 	}
 
+	/* check whether both sides are closing ... */
+	final = !tty->count && !(pty_master && o_tty->count);
+
 	tty_unlock_pair(tty, o_tty);
 	/* At this point, the tty->count == 0 should ensure a dead tty
 	   cannot be re-opened by a racing opener */
 
-	/* check whether both sides are closing ... */
-	if (!tty_closing || (o_tty && !o_tty_closing))
+	if (!final)
 		return 0;
 
 #ifdef TTY_DEBUG_HANGUP