*/
 #define BTRFS_FS_NEED_ASYNC_COMMIT             17
 
+/*
+ * Indicate that balance has been set up from the ioctl and is in the main
+ * phase. The fs_info::balance_ctl is initialized.
+ */
+#define BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING               18
+
 struct btrfs_fs_info {
        u8 fsid[BTRFS_FSID_SIZE];
        u8 chunk_tree_uuid[BTRFS_UUID_SIZE];
        /* restriper state */
        spinlock_t balance_lock;
        struct mutex balance_mutex;
-       atomic_t balance_running;
        atomic_t balance_pause_req;
        atomic_t balance_cancel_req;
        struct btrfs_balance_control *balance_ctl;
 
 
        bargs->flags = bctl->flags;
 
-       if (atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running))
+       if (test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags))
                bargs->state |= BTRFS_BALANCE_STATE_RUNNING;
        if (atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_pause_req))
                bargs->state |= BTRFS_BALANCE_STATE_PAUSE_REQ;
        mutex_lock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
        if (fs_info->balance_ctl) {
                /* this is either (2) or (3) */
-               if (!atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running)) {
+               if (!test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags)) {
                        mutex_unlock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
                        /*
                         * Lock released to allow other waiters to continue,
                        mutex_lock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
 
                        if (fs_info->balance_ctl &&
-                           !atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running)) {
+                           !test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags)) {
                                /* this is (3) */
                                need_unlock = false;
                                goto locked;
 
                spin_unlock(&fs_info->balance_lock);
        }
 
-       atomic_inc(&fs_info->balance_running);
+       ASSERT(!test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags));
+       set_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags);
        mutex_unlock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
 
        ret = __btrfs_balance(fs_info);
 
        mutex_lock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
-       atomic_dec(&fs_info->balance_running);
+       clear_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags);
 
        if (bargs) {
                memset(bargs, 0, sizeof(*bargs));
                return -ENOTCONN;
        }
 
-       if (atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running)) {
+       if (test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags)) {
                atomic_inc(&fs_info->balance_pause_req);
                mutex_unlock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
 
                wait_event(fs_info->balance_wait_q,
-                          atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running) == 0);
+                          !test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags));
 
                mutex_lock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
                /* we are good with balance_ctl ripped off from under us */
-               BUG_ON(atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running));
+               BUG_ON(test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags));
                atomic_dec(&fs_info->balance_pause_req);
        } else {
                ret = -ENOTCONN;
         * if we are running just wait and return, balance item is
         * deleted in btrfs_balance in this case
         */
-       if (atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running)) {
+       if (test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags)) {
                mutex_unlock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
                wait_event(fs_info->balance_wait_q,
-                          atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running) == 0);
+                          !test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags));
                mutex_lock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
        } else {
                mutex_unlock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
                }
        }
 
-       BUG_ON(fs_info->balance_ctl || atomic_read(&fs_info->balance_running));
+       BUG_ON(fs_info->balance_ctl ||
+               test_bit(BTRFS_FS_BALANCE_RUNNING, &fs_info->flags));
        atomic_dec(&fs_info->balance_cancel_req);
        mutex_unlock(&fs_info->balance_mutex);
        return 0;