diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 868d0cb9d473..3479b176a4cd 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -2635,7 +2635,7 @@ int vfs_rename(struct inode *old_dir, struct dentry *old_dentry,
 {
 	int error;
 	int is_dir = S_ISDIR(old_dentry->d_inode->i_mode);
-	const char *old_name;
+	const unsigned char *old_name;
 
 	if (old_dentry->d_inode == new_dentry->d_inode)
  		return 0;
diff --git a/fs/notify/fsnotify.c b/fs/notify/fsnotify.c
index 54d58d5f72c1..c5adf833bf6a 100644
--- a/fs/notify/fsnotify.c
+++ b/fs/notify/fsnotify.c
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ void __fsnotify_flush_ignored_mask(struct inode *inode, void *data, int data_is)
 
 static void send_to_group(struct fsnotify_group *group, struct inode *to_tell,
 			  struct vfsmount *mnt, __u32 mask, void *data,
-			  int data_is, u32 cookie, const char *file_name,
+			  int data_is, u32 cookie, const unsigned char *file_name,
 			  struct fsnotify_event **event)
 {
 	if (!group->ops->should_send_event(group, to_tell, mnt, mask,
@@ -206,7 +206,8 @@ static bool needed_by_vfsmount(__u32 test_mask, struct vfsmount *mnt)
  * out to all of the registered fsnotify_group.  Those groups can then use the
  * notification event in whatever means they feel necessary.
  */
-void fsnotify(struct inode *to_tell, __u32 mask, void *data, int data_is, const char *file_name, u32 cookie)
+void fsnotify(struct inode *to_tell, __u32 mask, void *data, int data_is,
+	      const unsigned char *file_name, u32 cookie)
 {
 	struct fsnotify_group *group;
 	struct fsnotify_event *event = NULL;
diff --git a/fs/notify/notification.c b/fs/notify/notification.c
index 2d50a40ab1e4..b35faafacd38 100644
--- a/fs/notify/notification.c
+++ b/fs/notify/notification.c
@@ -370,8 +370,8 @@ struct fsnotify_event *fsnotify_clone_event(struct fsnotify_event *old_event)
  * @name the filename, if available
  */
 struct fsnotify_event *fsnotify_create_event(struct inode *to_tell, __u32 mask, void *data,
-					     int data_type, const char *name, u32 cookie,
-					     gfp_t gfp)
+					     int data_type, const unsigned char *name,
+					     u32 cookie, gfp_t gfp)
 {
 	struct fsnotify_event *event;
 
diff --git a/include/linux/fsnotify.h b/include/linux/fsnotify.h
index 06c0e50c7968..b8cf161f5a6d 100644
--- a/include/linux/fsnotify.h
+++ b/include/linux/fsnotify.h
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ static inline void fsnotify_link_count(struct inode *inode)
  * fsnotify_move - file old_name at old_dir was moved to new_name at new_dir
  */
 static inline void fsnotify_move(struct inode *old_dir, struct inode *new_dir,
-				 const char *old_name,
+				 const unsigned char *old_name,
 				 int isdir, struct inode *target, struct dentry *moved)
 {
 	struct inode *source = moved->d_inode;
 	u32 fs_cookie = fsnotify_get_cookie();
 	__u32 old_dir_mask = (FS_EVENT_ON_CHILD | FS_MOVED_FROM);
 	__u32 new_dir_mask = (FS_EVENT_ON_CHILD | FS_MOVED_TO);
-	const char *new_name = moved->d_name.name;
+	const unsigned char *new_name = moved->d_name.name;
 
 	if (old_dir == new_dir)
 		old_dir_mask |= FS_DN_RENAME;
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ static inline void fsnotify_change(struct dentry *dentry, unsigned int ia_valid)
 /*
  * fsnotify_oldname_init - save off the old filename before we change it
  */
-static inline const char *fsnotify_oldname_init(const char *name)
+static inline const unsigned char *fsnotify_oldname_init(const unsigned char *name)
 {
 	return kstrdup(name, GFP_KERNEL);
 }
@@ -298,19 +298,19 @@ static inline const char *fsnotify_oldname_init(const char *name)
 /*
  * fsnotify_oldname_free - free the name we got from fsnotify_oldname_init
  */
-static inline void fsnotify_oldname_free(const char *old_name)
+static inline void fsnotify_oldname_free(const unsigned char *old_name)
 {
 	kfree(old_name);
 }
 
 #else	/* CONFIG_FSNOTIFY */
 
-static inline const char *fsnotify_oldname_init(const char *name)
+static inline const char *fsnotify_oldname_init(const unsigned char *name)
 {
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static inline void fsnotify_oldname_free(const char *old_name)
+static inline void fsnotify_oldname_free(const unsigned char *old_name)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/fsnotify_backend.h b/include/linux/fsnotify_backend.h
index afc690192972..efe9ba321cf2 100644
--- a/include/linux/fsnotify_backend.h
+++ b/include/linux/fsnotify_backend.h
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ struct fsnotify_event {
 	__u32 mask;		/* the type of access, bitwise OR for FS_* event types */
 
 	u32 sync_cookie;	/* used to corrolate events, namely inotify mv events */
-	char *file_name;
+	const unsigned char *file_name;
 	size_t name_len;
 	struct pid *tgid;
 
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ struct fsnotify_mark {
 
 /* main fsnotify call to send events */
 extern void fsnotify(struct inode *to_tell, __u32 mask, void *data, int data_is,
-		     const char *name, u32 cookie);
+		     const unsigned char *name, u32 cookie);
 extern void __fsnotify_parent(struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry, __u32 mask);
 extern void __fsnotify_inode_delete(struct inode *inode);
 extern void __fsnotify_vfsmount_delete(struct vfsmount *mnt);
@@ -402,7 +402,8 @@ extern void fsnotify_unmount_inodes(struct list_head *list);
 
 /* put here because inotify does some weird stuff when destroying watches */
 extern struct fsnotify_event *fsnotify_create_event(struct inode *to_tell, __u32 mask,
-						    void *data, int data_is, const char *name,
+						    void *data, int data_is,
+						    const unsigned char *name,
 						    u32 cookie, gfp_t gfp);
 
 /* fanotify likes to change events after they are on lists... */
@@ -413,7 +414,7 @@ extern int fsnotify_replace_event(struct fsnotify_event_holder *old_holder,
 #else
 
 static inline void fsnotify(struct inode *to_tell, __u32 mask, void *data, int data_is,
-			    const char *name, u32 cookie)
+			    const unsigned char *name, u32 cookie)
 {}
 
 static inline void __fsnotify_parent(struct path *path, struct dentry *dentry, __u32 mask)