diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/ecryptfs_kernel.h b/fs/ecryptfs/ecryptfs_kernel.h
index b4a0ccc..b0727f9 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/ecryptfs_kernel.h
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/ecryptfs_kernel.h
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@
 #define ECRYPTFS_METADATA_IN_XATTR  0x00000100
 #define ECRYPTFS_VIEW_AS_ENCRYPTED  0x00000200
 #define ECRYPTFS_KEY_SET            0x00000400
+#define ECRYPTFS_DELAY_PERSISTENT   0x00000800
 	u32 flags;
 	unsigned int file_version;
 	size_t iv_bytes;
@@ -574,9 +575,11 @@
 	struct list_head kthread_ctl_list;
 };
 
+#define ECRYPTFS_INTERPOSE_FLAG_D_ADD                 0x00000001
+#define ECRYPTFS_INTERPOSE_FLAG_DELAY_PERSISTENT_FILE 0x00000002
 int ecryptfs_interpose(struct dentry *hidden_dentry,
 		       struct dentry *this_dentry, struct super_block *sb,
-		       int flag);
+		       u32 flags);
 int ecryptfs_fill_zeros(struct file *file, loff_t new_length);
 int ecryptfs_decode_filename(struct ecryptfs_crypt_stat *crypt_stat,
 			     const char *name, int length,
@@ -709,5 +712,6 @@
 int ecryptfs_privileged_open(struct file **lower_file,
 			     struct dentry *lower_dentry,
 			     struct vfsmount *lower_mnt);
+int ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(struct dentry *ecryptfs_dentry);
 
 #endif /* #ifndef ECRYPTFS_KERNEL_H */
diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/file.c b/fs/ecryptfs/file.c
index f0be290..2c2d60d 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/file.c
@@ -199,6 +199,20 @@
 		       "file must hence be opened RO\n", __func__);
 		goto out;
 	}
+	if (!ecryptfs_inode_to_private(inode)->lower_file) {
+		BUG_ON(!(crypt_stat->flags & ECRYPTFS_DELAY_PERSISTENT));
+		mutex_lock(&crypt_stat->cs_mutex);
+		crypt_stat->flags &= ~(ECRYPTFS_ENCRYPTED);
+		mutex_unlock(&crypt_stat->cs_mutex);
+		rc = ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(ecryptfs_dentry);
+		if (rc) {
+			printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Error attempting to initialize "
+			       "the persistent file for the dentry with name "
+			       "[%s]; rc = [%d]\n", __func__,
+			       ecryptfs_dentry->d_name.name, rc);
+			goto out;
+		}
+	}
 	ecryptfs_set_file_lower(
 		file, ecryptfs_inode_to_private(inode)->lower_file);
 	if (S_ISDIR(ecryptfs_dentry->d_inode->i_mode)) {
diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/inode.c b/fs/ecryptfs/inode.c
index 7315547..2609087 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/inode.c
@@ -308,7 +308,8 @@
 		d_add(dentry, NULL);
 		goto out;
 	}
-	rc = ecryptfs_interpose(lower_dentry, dentry, dir->i_sb, 1);
+	rc = ecryptfs_interpose(lower_dentry, dentry, dir->i_sb,
+				ECRYPTFS_INTERPOSE_FLAG_D_ADD);
 	if (rc) {
 		ecryptfs_printk(KERN_ERR, "Error interposing\n");
 		goto out_dput;
@@ -537,7 +538,8 @@
 	rc = vfs_mknod(lower_dir_dentry->d_inode, lower_dentry, mode, dev);
 	if (rc || !lower_dentry->d_inode)
 		goto out;
-	rc = ecryptfs_interpose(lower_dentry, dentry, dir->i_sb, 0);
+	rc = ecryptfs_interpose(lower_dentry, dentry, dir->i_sb,
+				ECRYPTFS_INTERPOSE_FLAG_DELAY_PERSISTENT_FILE);
 	if (rc)
 		goto out;
 	fsstack_copy_attr_times(dir, lower_dir_dentry->d_inode);
diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/main.c b/fs/ecryptfs/main.c
index 10475d9..ee4f84b 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/main.c
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/main.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
  *
  * Returns zero on success; non-zero otherwise
  */
-static int ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(struct dentry *ecryptfs_dentry)
+int ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(struct dentry *ecryptfs_dentry)
 {
 	struct ecryptfs_inode_info *inode_info =
 		ecryptfs_inode_to_private(ecryptfs_dentry->d_inode);
@@ -149,14 +149,14 @@
  * @lower_dentry: Existing dentry in the lower filesystem
  * @dentry: ecryptfs' dentry
  * @sb: ecryptfs's super_block
- * @flag: If set to true, then d_add is called, else d_instantiate is called
+ * @flags: flags to govern behavior of interpose procedure
  *
  * Interposes upper and lower dentries.
  *
  * Returns zero on success; non-zero otherwise
  */
 int ecryptfs_interpose(struct dentry *lower_dentry, struct dentry *dentry,
-		       struct super_block *sb, int flag)
+		       struct super_block *sb, u32 flags)
 {
 	struct inode *lower_inode;
 	struct inode *inode;
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@
 		init_special_inode(inode, lower_inode->i_mode,
 				   lower_inode->i_rdev);
 	dentry->d_op = &ecryptfs_dops;
-	if (flag)
+	if (flags & ECRYPTFS_INTERPOSE_FLAG_D_ADD)
 		d_add(dentry, inode);
 	else
 		d_instantiate(dentry, inode);
@@ -201,12 +201,21 @@
 	/* This size will be overwritten for real files w/ headers and
 	 * other metadata */
 	fsstack_copy_inode_size(inode, lower_inode);
-	rc = ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(dentry);
-	if (rc) {
-		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Error attempting to initialize the "
-		       "persistent file for the dentry with name [%s]; "
-		       "rc = [%d]\n", __func__, dentry->d_name.name, rc);
-		goto out;
+	if (!(flags & ECRYPTFS_INTERPOSE_FLAG_DELAY_PERSISTENT_FILE)) {
+		rc = ecryptfs_init_persistent_file(dentry);
+		if (rc) {
+			printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Error attempting to initialize "
+			       "the persistent file for the dentry with name "
+			       "[%s]; rc = [%d]\n", __func__,
+			       dentry->d_name.name, rc);
+			goto out;
+		}
+	} else {
+		struct ecryptfs_inode_info *inode_info =
+			ecryptfs_inode_to_private(dentry->d_inode);
+
+		inode_info->lower_file = NULL;
+		inode_info->crypt_stat.flags |= ECRYPTFS_DELAY_PERSISTENT;
 	}
 out:
 	return rc;