diff --git a/fs/hfsplus/hfsplus_fs.h b/fs/hfsplus/hfsplus_fs.h
index f07aa640c27d..276ddb0fd0fd 100644
--- a/fs/hfsplus/hfsplus_fs.h
+++ b/fs/hfsplus/hfsplus_fs.h
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ struct hfsplus_vh;
 struct hfs_btree;
 
 struct hfsplus_sb_info {
-	struct buffer_head *s_vhbh;
 	struct hfsplus_vh *s_vhdr;
+	struct hfsplus_vh *s_backup_vhdr;
 	struct hfs_btree *ext_tree;
 	struct hfs_btree *cat_tree;
 	struct hfs_btree *attr_tree;
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ struct hfsplus_sb_info {
 
 	/* Runtime variables */
 	u32 blockoffset;
-	u32 sect_count;
+	sector_t part_start;
+	sector_t sect_count;
 	int fs_shift;
 
 	/* immutable data from the volume header */
@@ -385,8 +386,9 @@ int hfsplus_compare_dentry(struct dentry *dentry, struct qstr *s1, struct qstr *
 
 /* wrapper.c */
 int hfsplus_read_wrapper(struct super_block *);
-
 int hfs_part_find(struct super_block *, sector_t *, sector_t *);
+int hfsplus_submit_bio(struct block_device *bdev, sector_t sector,
+		void *data, int rw);
 
 /* access macros */
 static inline struct hfsplus_sb_info *HFSPLUS_SB(struct super_block *sb)
diff --git a/fs/hfsplus/super.c b/fs/hfsplus/super.c
index 6a2349058618..fe8f7bffbea5 100644
--- a/fs/hfsplus/super.c
+++ b/fs/hfsplus/super.c
@@ -157,45 +157,40 @@ int hfsplus_sync_fs(struct super_block *sb, int wait)
 {
 	struct hfsplus_sb_info *sbi = HFSPLUS_SB(sb);
 	struct hfsplus_vh *vhdr = sbi->s_vhdr;
+	int write_backup = 0;
+	int error, error2;
 
 	dprint(DBG_SUPER, "hfsplus_write_super\n");
 
-	mutex_lock(&sbi->vh_mutex);
-	mutex_lock(&sbi->alloc_mutex);
 	sb->s_dirt = 0;
 
+	mutex_lock(&sbi->vh_mutex);
+	mutex_lock(&sbi->alloc_mutex);
 	vhdr->free_blocks = cpu_to_be32(sbi->free_blocks);
 	vhdr->next_cnid = cpu_to_be32(sbi->next_cnid);
 	vhdr->folder_count = cpu_to_be32(sbi->folder_count);
 	vhdr->file_count = cpu_to_be32(sbi->file_count);
 
-	mark_buffer_dirty(sbi->s_vhbh);
 	if (test_and_clear_bit(HFSPLUS_SB_WRITEBACKUP, &sbi->flags)) {
-		if (sbi->sect_count) {
-			struct buffer_head *bh;
-			u32 block, offset;
-
-			block = sbi->blockoffset;
-			block += (sbi->sect_count - 2) >> (sb->s_blocksize_bits - 9);
-			offset = ((sbi->sect_count - 2) << 9) & (sb->s_blocksize - 1);
-			printk(KERN_DEBUG "hfs: backup: %u,%u,%u,%u\n",
-					  sbi->blockoffset, sbi->sect_count,
-					  block, offset);
-			bh = sb_bread(sb, block);
-			if (bh) {
-				vhdr = (struct hfsplus_vh *)(bh->b_data + offset);
-				if (be16_to_cpu(vhdr->signature) == HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SIG) {
-					memcpy(vhdr, sbi->s_vhdr, sizeof(*vhdr));
-					mark_buffer_dirty(bh);
-					brelse(bh);
-				} else
-					printk(KERN_WARNING "hfs: backup not found!\n");
-			}
-		}
+		memcpy(sbi->s_backup_vhdr, sbi->s_vhdr, sizeof(*sbi->s_vhdr));
+		write_backup = 1;
 	}
+
+	error = hfsplus_submit_bio(sb->s_bdev,
+				   sbi->part_start + HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SECTOR,
+				   sbi->s_vhdr, WRITE_SYNC);
+	if (!write_backup)
+		goto out;
+
+	error2 = hfsplus_submit_bio(sb->s_bdev,
+				  sbi->part_start + sbi->sect_count - 2,
+				  sbi->s_backup_vhdr, WRITE_SYNC);
+	if (!error)
+		error2 = error;
+out:
 	mutex_unlock(&sbi->alloc_mutex);
 	mutex_unlock(&sbi->vh_mutex);
-	return 0;
+	return error;
 }
 
 static void hfsplus_write_super(struct super_block *sb)
@@ -229,7 +224,8 @@ static void hfsplus_put_super(struct super_block *sb)
 	hfs_btree_close(sbi->ext_tree);
 	iput(sbi->alloc_file);
 	iput(sbi->hidden_dir);
-	brelse(sbi->s_vhbh);
+	kfree(sbi->s_vhdr);
+	kfree(sbi->s_backup_vhdr);
 	unload_nls(sbi->nls);
 	kfree(sb->s_fs_info);
 	sb->s_fs_info = NULL;
diff --git a/fs/hfsplus/wrapper.c b/fs/hfsplus/wrapper.c
index 8972c20b3216..15e0eabb489e 100644
--- a/fs/hfsplus/wrapper.c
+++ b/fs/hfsplus/wrapper.c
@@ -24,6 +24,40 @@ struct hfsplus_wd {
 	u16 embed_count;
 };
 
+static void hfsplus_end_io_sync(struct bio *bio, int err)
+{
+	if (err)
+		clear_bit(BIO_UPTODATE, &bio->bi_flags);
+	complete(bio->bi_private);
+}
+
+int hfsplus_submit_bio(struct block_device *bdev, sector_t sector,
+		void *data, int rw)
+{
+	DECLARE_COMPLETION_ONSTACK(wait);
+	struct bio *bio;
+
+	bio = bio_alloc(GFP_NOIO, 1);
+	bio->bi_sector = sector;
+	bio->bi_bdev = bdev;
+	bio->bi_end_io = hfsplus_end_io_sync;
+	bio->bi_private = &wait;
+
+	/*
+	 * We always submit one sector at a time, so bio_add_page must not fail.
+	 */
+	if (bio_add_page(bio, virt_to_page(data), HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SIZE,
+			 offset_in_page(data)) != HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SIZE)
+		BUG();
+
+	submit_bio(rw, bio);
+	wait_for_completion(&wait);
+
+	if (!bio_flagged(bio, BIO_UPTODATE))
+		return -EIO;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int hfsplus_read_mdb(void *bufptr, struct hfsplus_wd *wd)
 {
 	u32 extent;
@@ -88,100 +122,111 @@ static int hfsplus_get_last_session(struct super_block *sb,
 int hfsplus_read_wrapper(struct super_block *sb)
 {
 	struct hfsplus_sb_info *sbi = HFSPLUS_SB(sb);
-	struct buffer_head *bh;
-	struct hfsplus_vh *vhdr;
 	struct hfsplus_wd wd;
 	sector_t part_start, part_size;
 	u32 blocksize;
+	int error = 0;
 
+	error = -EINVAL;
 	blocksize = sb_min_blocksize(sb, HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SIZE);
 	if (!blocksize)
-		return -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
 
 	if (hfsplus_get_last_session(sb, &part_start, &part_size))
-		return -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
 	if ((u64)part_start + part_size > 0x100000000ULL) {
 		pr_err("hfs: volumes larger than 2TB are not supported yet\n");
-		return -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
 	}
-	while (1) {
-		bh = sb_bread512(sb, part_start + HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SECTOR, vhdr);
-		if (!bh)
-			return -EIO;
 
-		if (vhdr->signature == cpu_to_be16(HFSP_WRAP_MAGIC)) {
-			if (!hfsplus_read_mdb(vhdr, &wd))
-				goto error;
-			wd.ablk_size >>= HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SHIFT;
-			part_start += wd.ablk_start + wd.embed_start * wd.ablk_size;
-			part_size = wd.embed_count * wd.ablk_size;
-			brelse(bh);
-			bh = sb_bread512(sb, part_start + HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SECTOR, vhdr);
-			if (!bh)
-				return -EIO;
-		}
-		if (vhdr->signature == cpu_to_be16(HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SIG))
-			break;
-		if (vhdr->signature == cpu_to_be16(HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SIGX)) {
-			set_bit(HFSPLUS_SB_HFSX, &sbi->flags);
-			break;
-		}
-		brelse(bh);
+	error = -ENOMEM;
+	sbi->s_vhdr = kmalloc(HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SIZE, GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!sbi->s_vhdr)
+		goto out;
+	sbi->s_backup_vhdr = kmalloc(HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SIZE, GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!sbi->s_backup_vhdr)
+		goto out_free_vhdr;
 
-		/* check for a partition block
+reread:
+	error = hfsplus_submit_bio(sb->s_bdev,
+				   part_start + HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SECTOR,
+				   sbi->s_vhdr, READ);
+	if (error)
+		goto out_free_backup_vhdr;
+
+	error = -EINVAL;
+	switch (sbi->s_vhdr->signature) {
+	case cpu_to_be16(HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SIGX):
+		set_bit(HFSPLUS_SB_HFSX, &sbi->flags);
+		/*FALLTHRU*/
+	case cpu_to_be16(HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SIG):
+		break;
+	case cpu_to_be16(HFSP_WRAP_MAGIC):
+		if (!hfsplus_read_mdb(sbi->s_vhdr, &wd))
+			goto out;
+		wd.ablk_size >>= HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SHIFT;
+		part_start += wd.ablk_start + wd.embed_start * wd.ablk_size;
+		part_size = wd.embed_count * wd.ablk_size;
+		goto reread;
+	default:
+		/*
+		 * Check for a partition block.
+		 *
 		 * (should do this only for cdrom/loop though)
 		 */
 		if (hfs_part_find(sb, &part_start, &part_size))
-			return -EINVAL;
+			goto out;
+		goto reread;
 	}
 
-	blocksize = be32_to_cpu(vhdr->blocksize);
-	brelse(bh);
+	error = hfsplus_submit_bio(sb->s_bdev,
+				   part_start + part_size - 2,
+				   sbi->s_backup_vhdr, READ);
+	if (error)
+		goto out_free_backup_vhdr;
 
-	/* block size must be at least as large as a sector
-	 * and a multiple of 2
+	error = -EINVAL;
+	if (sbi->s_backup_vhdr->signature != sbi->s_vhdr->signature) {
+		printk(KERN_WARNING
+			"hfs: invalid secondary volume header\n");
+		goto out_free_backup_vhdr;
+	}
+
+	blocksize = be32_to_cpu(sbi->s_vhdr->blocksize);
+
+	/*
+	 * Block size must be at least as large as a sector and a multiple of 2.
 	 */
-	if (blocksize < HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SIZE ||
-	    ((blocksize - 1) & blocksize))
-		return -EINVAL;
+	if (blocksize < HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SIZE || ((blocksize - 1) & blocksize))
+		goto out_free_backup_vhdr;
 	sbi->alloc_blksz = blocksize;
 	sbi->alloc_blksz_shift = 0;
 	while ((blocksize >>= 1) != 0)
 		sbi->alloc_blksz_shift++;
 	blocksize = min(sbi->alloc_blksz, (u32)PAGE_SIZE);
 
-	/* align block size to block offset */
+	/*
+	 * Align block size to block offset.
+	 */
 	while (part_start & ((blocksize >> HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SHIFT) - 1))
 		blocksize >>= 1;
 
 	if (sb_set_blocksize(sb, blocksize) != blocksize) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "hfs: unable to set blocksize to %u!\n", blocksize);
-		return -EINVAL;
+		goto out_free_backup_vhdr;
 	}
 
 	sbi->blockoffset =
 		part_start >> (sb->s_blocksize_bits - HFSPLUS_SECTOR_SHIFT);
+	sbi->part_start = part_start;
 	sbi->sect_count = part_size;
 	sbi->fs_shift = sbi->alloc_blksz_shift - sb->s_blocksize_bits;
-
-	bh = sb_bread512(sb, part_start + HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SECTOR, vhdr);
-	if (!bh)
-		return -EIO;
-
-	/* should still be the same... */
-	if (test_bit(HFSPLUS_SB_HFSX, &sbi->flags)) {
-		if (vhdr->signature != cpu_to_be16(HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SIGX))
-			goto error;
-	} else {
-		if (vhdr->signature != cpu_to_be16(HFSPLUS_VOLHEAD_SIG))
-			goto error;
-	}
-
-	sbi->s_vhbh = bh;
-	sbi->s_vhdr = vhdr;
-
 	return 0;
- error:
-	brelse(bh);
-	return -EINVAL;
+
+out_free_backup_vhdr:
+	kfree(sbi->s_backup_vhdr);
+out_free_vhdr:
+	kfree(sbi->s_vhdr);
+out:
+	return error;
 }