diff --git a/src/system/kernel/fs/EntryCache.cpp b/src/system/kernel/fs/EntryCache.cpp
index 03a5c9089c..fd01fbd874 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/fs/EntryCache.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/fs/EntryCache.cpp
@@ -108,44 +108,49 @@ EntryCache::Add(ino_t dirID, const char* name, ino_t nodeID, bool missing)
 {
 	EntryCacheKey key(dirID, name);
 
-	WriteLocker _(fLock);
-
-	if (fGenerationCount == 0)
-		return B_NO_MEMORY;
-
-	EntryCacheEntry* entry = fEntries.Lookup(key);
-	if (entry != NULL) {
-		entry->node_id = nodeID;
-		entry->missing = missing;
-		if (entry->generation != fCurrentGeneration) {
-			if (entry->index >= 0) {
-				fGenerations[entry->generation].entries[entry->index] = NULL;
-				_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(entry);
-			}
-		}
-		return B_OK;
-	}
-
-	// Avoid deadlock if system had to wait for free memory
 	const size_t nameLen = strlen(name);
-	entry = (EntryCacheEntry*)malloc_etc(sizeof(EntryCacheEntry) + nameLen,
-		CACHE_DONT_WAIT_FOR_MEMORY);
+	EntryCacheEntry* entry = (EntryCacheEntry*)malloc(sizeof(EntryCacheEntry) + nameLen);
 
 	if (entry == NULL)
 		return B_NO_MEMORY;
 
 	entry->node_id = nodeID;
 	entry->dir_id = dirID;
-	entry->hash = EntryCacheKey::Hash(dirID, name);
+	entry->hash = key.hash;
 	entry->missing = missing;
-	entry->generation = fCurrentGeneration;
 	entry->index = kEntryNotInArray;
+	entry->generation = -1;
 	memcpy(entry->name, name, nameLen + 1);
 
+	WriteLocker writeLocker(fLock);
+
+	if (fGenerationCount == 0) {
+		free(entry);
+		return B_NO_MEMORY;
+	}
+
+	EntryCacheEntry* existingEntry = fEntries.Lookup(key);
+	if (existingEntry != NULL) {
+		free(entry);
+		entry = existingEntry;
+
+		entry->node_id = nodeID;
+		entry->missing = missing;
+		if (entry->generation != fCurrentGeneration) {
+			if (entry->index >= 0) {
+				fGenerations[entry->generation].entries[entry->index] = NULL;
+
+				writeLocker.Detach();
+				_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(entry);
+			}
+		}
+		return B_OK;
+	}
+
 	fEntries.Insert(entry);
 
+	writeLocker.Detach();
 	_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(entry);
-
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
@@ -166,6 +171,7 @@ EntryCache::Remove(ino_t dirID, const char* name)
 	if (entry->index >= 0) {
 		// remove the entry from its generation and delete it
 		fGenerations[entry->generation].entries[entry->index] = NULL;
+		writeLocker.Unlock();
 		free(entry);
 	} else {
 		// We can't free it, since another thread is about to try to move it
@@ -221,14 +227,16 @@ EntryCache::Lookup(ino_t dirID, const char* name, ino_t& _nodeID,
 
 	if (entry->index == kEntryRemoved) {
 		// the entry has been removed in the meantime
+		writeLocker.Unlock();
 		free(entry);
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(entry);
-
 	_nodeID = entry->node_id;
 	_missing = entry->missing;
+
+	writeLocker.Detach();
+	_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(entry);
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -252,7 +260,7 @@ EntryCache::DebugReverseLookup(ino_t nodeID, ino_t& _dirID)
 void
 EntryCache::_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(EntryCacheEntry* entry)
 {
-	ASSERT_WRITE_LOCKED_RW_LOCK(&fLock);
+	WriteLocker locker(fLock, true);
 
 	// the generation might not be full yet
 	int32 index = fGenerations[fCurrentGeneration].next_index++;
@@ -264,6 +272,7 @@ EntryCache::_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(EntryCacheEntry* entry)
 	}
 
 	// we have to clear the oldest generation
+	EntryCacheEntry* entriesToFree = NULL;
 	const int32 newGeneration = (fCurrentGeneration + 1) % fGenerationCount;
 	for (int32 i = 0; i < fGenerations[newGeneration].entries_size; i++) {
 		EntryCacheEntry* otherEntry = fGenerations[newGeneration].entries[i];
@@ -272,7 +281,9 @@ EntryCache::_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(EntryCacheEntry* entry)
 
 		fGenerations[newGeneration].entries[i] = NULL;
 		fEntries.Remove(otherEntry);
-		free(otherEntry);
+
+		otherEntry->hash_link = entriesToFree;
+		entriesToFree = otherEntry;
 	}
 
 	// set the new generation and add the entry
@@ -281,4 +292,12 @@ EntryCache::_AddEntryToCurrentGeneration(EntryCacheEntry* entry)
 	fGenerations[newGeneration].next_index = 1;
 	entry->generation = newGeneration;
 	entry->index = 0;
+
+	// free the old entries
+	locker.Unlock();
+	while (entriesToFree != NULL) {
+		EntryCacheEntry* next = entriesToFree->hash_link;
+		free(entriesToFree);
+		entriesToFree = next;
+	}
 }