diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/BlockAllocator.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/BlockAllocator.cpp
index f714ba360e..171761c261 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/BlockAllocator.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/BlockAllocator.cpp
@@ -638,6 +638,28 @@ BlockAllocator::InitializeAndClearBitmap(Transaction& transaction)
 }
 
 
+status_t
+BlockAllocator::Reinitialize()
+{
+	// need to write back any pending changes to the block bitmap
+	// TODO: shall we read through the cache in _Initialize instead?
+	status_t status = fVolume->GetJournal(0)->FlushLogAndLockJournal();
+	if (status != B_OK)
+		return status;
+
+	recursive_lock_lock(&fLock);
+		// the lock will be unlocked in the call to Initialize()
+
+	fVolume->GetJournal(0)->Unlock(NULL, true);
+		// unlock the journal here: we only need to make sure that no one
+		// starts a transaction before we get the allocator lock, as that
+		// would cause a deadlock
+
+	delete[] fGroups;
+	return Initialize();
+}
+
+
 status_t
 BlockAllocator::_Initialize(BlockAllocator* allocator)
 {
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/BlockAllocator.h b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/BlockAllocator.h
index 685de6cae0..021ff5a33d 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/BlockAllocator.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/BlockAllocator.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ public:
 
 			status_t		Initialize(bool full = true);
 			status_t		InitializeAndClearBitmap(Transaction& transaction);
+			status_t		Reinitialize();
 
 			void			Uninitialize();