diff -urNp 2.4.19pre9/fs/dcache.c neg-dentry-ref/fs/dcache.c
--- 2.4.19pre9/fs/dcache.c	Wed May 29 02:12:36 2002
+++ neg-dentry-ref/fs/dcache.c	Wed May 29 04:19:13 2002
@@ -806,6 +806,7 @@ out:
  
 void d_delete(struct dentry * dentry)
 {
+#ifdef DENTRY_WASTE_RAM
 	/*
 	 * Are we the only user?
 	 */
@@ -815,6 +816,7 @@ void d_delete(struct dentry * dentry)
 		return;
 	}
 	spin_unlock(&dcache_lock);
+#endif
 
 	/*
 	 * If not, just drop the dentry and let dput
diff -urNp 2.4.19pre9/fs/namei.c neg-dentry-ref/fs/namei.c
--- 2.4.19pre9/fs/namei.c	Wed May 29 02:12:36 2002
+++ neg-dentry-ref/fs/namei.c	Wed May 29 04:20:45 2002
@@ -1042,6 +1042,10 @@ do_last:
 		error = vfs_create(dir->d_inode, dentry,
 				   mode & ~current->fs->umask);
 		up(&dir->d_inode->i_sem);
+#ifndef DENTRY_WASTE_RAM
+		if (error)
+			d_drop(dentry);
+#endif
 		dput(nd->dentry);
 		nd->dentry = dentry;
 		if (error)