diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/overlayfs.rst b/Documentation/filesystems/overlayfs.rst
index 947a9db57667..2b09942c3956 100644
--- a/Documentation/filesystems/overlayfs.rst
+++ b/Documentation/filesystems/overlayfs.rst
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ handle it in two different ways:
 
 1. return EXDEV error: this error is returned by rename(2) when trying to
    move a file or directory across filesystem boundaries.  Hence
-   applications are usually prepared to hande this error (mv(1) for example
+   applications are usually prepared to handle this error (mv(1) for example
    recursively copies the directory tree).  This is the default behavior.
 
 2. If the "redirect_dir" feature is enabled, then the directory will be
@@ -332,6 +332,30 @@ and::
 The resulting access permissions should be the same.  The difference is in
 the time of copy (on-demand vs. up-front).
 
+### Non overlapping credentials
+
+As noted above, all access to the upper, lower and work directories is the
+recorded mounter's MAC and DAC credentials.  The incoming accesses are
+checked against the caller's credentials.
+
+It is possible, however, that the mounting process (say, init) has access to
+mount an overlay, but not access to read or execute certain files in the lower
+dir.  Meanwhile another process may ONLY have access to files in the lower dir.
+This scenario is very common in a "principle of least privilege" security
+model.  And in this case, using the mounter's credentials will result in access
+errors for the calling process, even though the calling process can access the
+lower dir.
+
+To address this, the override_creds=off mount option will disable using the
+mounter's credentials.
+
+The ability to search and read a directory entry is spotty as a result of the
+cache mechanism not re-testing the credentials because of the assumption, a
+privileged caller can fill cache, then a lower privilege can read the directory
+cache.  The uneven security model where cache, upperdir and workdir are opened
+at privilege, but accessed without creating a form of privilege escalation,
+should only be used with strict understanding of the side effects and of the
+security policies.
 
 Multiple lower layers
 ---------------------
diff --git a/fs/backing-file.c b/fs/backing-file.c
index 8860dac58c37..4dea1a6c1e26 100644
--- a/fs/backing-file.c
+++ b/fs/backing-file.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ ssize_t backing_file_read_iter(struct file *file, struct iov_iter *iter,
 			       struct backing_file_ctx *ctx)
 {
 	struct backing_aio *aio = NULL;
-	const struct cred *old_cred;
+	const struct cred *old_cred = NULL;
 	ssize_t ret;
 
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!(file->f_mode & FMODE_BACKING)))
@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ ssize_t backing_file_read_iter(struct file *file, struct iov_iter *iter,
 	    !(file->f_mode & FMODE_CAN_ODIRECT))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
+	if (ctx->cred)
+		old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
 	if (is_sync_kiocb(iocb)) {
 		rwf_t rwf = iocb_to_rw_flags(flags);
 
@@ -197,7 +198,8 @@ ssize_t backing_file_read_iter(struct file *file, struct iov_iter *iter,
 			backing_aio_cleanup(aio, ret);
 	}
 out:
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	if (old_cred)
+		revert_creds(old_cred);
 
 	if (ctx->accessed)
 		ctx->accessed(ctx->user_file);
@@ -210,7 +212,7 @@ ssize_t backing_file_write_iter(struct file *file, struct iov_iter *iter,
 				struct kiocb *iocb, int flags,
 				struct backing_file_ctx *ctx)
 {
-	const struct cred *old_cred;
+	const struct cred *old_cred = NULL;
 	ssize_t ret;
 
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!(file->f_mode & FMODE_BACKING)))
@@ -233,7 +235,8 @@ ssize_t backing_file_write_iter(struct file *file, struct iov_iter *iter,
 	 */
 	flags &= ~IOCB_DIO_CALLER_COMP;
 
-	old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
+	if (ctx->cred)
+		old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
 	if (is_sync_kiocb(iocb)) {
 		rwf_t rwf = iocb_to_rw_flags(flags);
 
@@ -264,7 +267,8 @@ ssize_t backing_file_write_iter(struct file *file, struct iov_iter *iter,
 			backing_aio_cleanup(aio, ret);
 	}
 out:
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	if (old_cred)
+		revert_creds(old_cred);
 
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -275,15 +279,17 @@ ssize_t backing_file_splice_read(struct file *in, loff_t *ppos,
 				 unsigned int flags,
 				 struct backing_file_ctx *ctx)
 {
-	const struct cred *old_cred;
+	const struct cred *old_cred = NULL;
 	ssize_t ret;
 
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!(in->f_mode & FMODE_BACKING)))
 		return -EIO;
 
-	old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
+	if (ctx->cred)
+		old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
 	ret = vfs_splice_read(in, ppos, pipe, len, flags);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	if (old_cred)
+		revert_creds(old_cred);
 
 	if (ctx->accessed)
 		ctx->accessed(ctx->user_file);
@@ -297,7 +303,7 @@ ssize_t backing_file_splice_write(struct pipe_inode_info *pipe,
 				  unsigned int flags,
 				  struct backing_file_ctx *ctx)
 {
-	const struct cred *old_cred;
+	const struct cred *old_cred = NULL;
 	ssize_t ret;
 
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!(out->f_mode & FMODE_BACKING)))
@@ -310,11 +316,13 @@ ssize_t backing_file_splice_write(struct pipe_inode_info *pipe,
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
+	if (ctx->cred)
+		old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
 	file_start_write(out);
 	ret = out->f_op->splice_write(pipe, out, ppos, len, flags);
 	file_end_write(out);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	if (old_cred)
+		revert_creds(old_cred);
 
 	if (ctx->end_write)
 		ctx->end_write(ctx->user_file);
@@ -326,7 +334,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(backing_file_splice_write);
 int backing_file_mmap(struct file *file, struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 		      struct backing_file_ctx *ctx)
 {
-	const struct cred *old_cred;
+	const struct cred *old_cred = NULL;
 	int ret;
 
 	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!(file->f_mode & FMODE_BACKING)) ||
@@ -338,9 +346,11 @@ int backing_file_mmap(struct file *file, struct vm_area_struct *vma,
 
 	vma_set_file(vma, file);
 
-	old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
+	if (ctx->cred)
+		old_cred = override_creds(ctx->cred);
 	ret = call_mmap(vma->vm_file, vma);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	if (old_cred)
+		revert_creds(old_cred);
 
 	if (ctx->accessed)
 		ctx->accessed(ctx->user_file);
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c b/fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c
index a5ef2005a2cc..d0e5b0192ef9 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c
@@ -1225,7 +1225,7 @@ static int ovl_copy_up_flags(struct dentry *dentry, int flags)
 		dput(parent);
 		dput(next);
 	}
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/dir.c b/fs/overlayfs/dir.c
index ab65e98a1def..1a3e41b9565a 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/dir.c
@@ -554,7 +554,8 @@ out_cleanup:
 }
 
 static int ovl_setup_cred_for_create(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode,
-				     umode_t mode, const struct cred *old_cred)
+				     umode_t mode, const struct cred *old_cred,
+				     const struct cred **hold_cred)
 {
 	int err;
 	struct cred *override_cred;
@@ -571,9 +572,8 @@ static int ovl_setup_cred_for_create(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode,
 		put_cred(override_cred);
 		return err;
 	}
-	put_cred(override_creds(override_cred));
+	*hold_cred = override_creds(override_cred);
 	put_cred(override_cred);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ static int ovl_create_or_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode,
 			      struct ovl_cattr *attr, bool origin)
 {
 	int err;
-	const struct cred *old_cred;
+	const struct cred *old_cred, *hold_cred = NULL;
 	struct dentry *parent = dentry->d_parent;
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
@@ -609,8 +609,13 @@ static int ovl_create_or_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode,
 		 * But in the other hardlink case, ovl_link() does not
 		 * create a new inode, so just use the ovl mounter's
 		 * fs{u,g}id.
+		 *
+		 * Retain current_cred() via hold_cred, since we need to
+		 * restore it if old_cred was NULL.
 		 */
-		err = ovl_setup_cred_for_create(dentry, inode, attr->mode, old_cred);
+		err = ovl_setup_cred_for_create(dentry, inode, attr->mode,
+						old_cred ?: current_cred(),
+						&hold_cred);
 		if (err)
 			goto out_revert_creds;
 	}
@@ -621,7 +626,9 @@ static int ovl_create_or_link(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode,
 		err = ovl_create_over_whiteout(dentry, inode, attr);
 
 out_revert_creds:
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred ?: hold_cred);
+	if (old_cred && hold_cred)
+		put_cred(hold_cred);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -702,7 +709,7 @@ static int ovl_set_link_redirect(struct dentry *dentry)
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 	err = ovl_set_redirect(dentry, false);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -912,7 +919,7 @@ static int ovl_do_remove(struct dentry *dentry, bool is_dir)
 		err = ovl_remove_upper(dentry, is_dir, &list);
 	else
 		err = ovl_remove_and_whiteout(dentry, &list);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	if (!err) {
 		if (is_dir)
 			clear_nlink(dentry->d_inode);
@@ -1292,7 +1299,7 @@ out_dput_old:
 out_unlock:
 	unlock_rename(new_upperdir, old_upperdir);
 out_revert_creds:
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(old->d_sb, old_cred);
 	if (update_nlink)
 		ovl_nlink_end(new);
 	else
@@ -1306,7 +1313,7 @@ out:
 static int ovl_create_tmpfile(struct file *file, struct dentry *dentry,
 			      struct inode *inode, umode_t mode)
 {
-	const struct cred *old_cred;
+	const struct cred *old_cred, *hold_cred = NULL;
 	struct path realparentpath;
 	struct file *realfile;
 	struct dentry *newdentry;
@@ -1315,7 +1322,8 @@ static int ovl_create_tmpfile(struct file *file, struct dentry *dentry,
 	int err;
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
-	err = ovl_setup_cred_for_create(dentry, inode, mode, old_cred);
+	err = ovl_setup_cred_for_create(dentry, inode, mode,
+					old_cred ?: current_cred(), &hold_cred);
 	if (err)
 		goto out_revert_creds;
 
@@ -1337,7 +1345,9 @@ static int ovl_create_tmpfile(struct file *file, struct dentry *dentry,
 		fput(realfile);
 	}
 out_revert_creds:
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred ?: hold_cred);
+	if (old_cred && hold_cred)
+		put_cred(hold_cred);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/file.c b/fs/overlayfs/file.c
index 4ef0850e089f..001732f6f817 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/file.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static struct file *ovl_open_realfile(const struct file *file,
 		realfile = backing_file_open(&file->f_path, flags, realpath,
 					     current_cred());
 	}
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(inode->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	pr_debug("open(%p[%pD2/%c], 0%o) -> (%p, 0%o)\n",
 		 file, file, ovl_whatisit(inode, realinode), file->f_flags,
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ static loff_t ovl_llseek(struct file *file, loff_t offset, int whence)
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(inode->i_sb);
 	ret = vfs_llseek(real.file, offset, whence);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(inode->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	file->f_pos = real.file->f_pos;
 	ovl_inode_unlock(inode);
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ static int ovl_fsync(struct file *file, loff_t start, loff_t end, int datasync)
 	if (file_inode(real.file) == ovl_inode_upper(file_inode(file))) {
 		old_cred = ovl_override_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb);
 		ret = vfs_fsync_range(real.file, start, end, datasync);
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb, old_cred);
 	}
 
 	fdput(real);
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ static long ovl_fallocate(struct file *file, int mode, loff_t offset, loff_t len
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb);
 	ret = vfs_fallocate(real.file, mode, offset, len);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	/* Update size */
 	ovl_file_modified(file);
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ static int ovl_fadvise(struct file *file, loff_t offset, loff_t len, int advice)
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb);
 	ret = vfs_fadvise(real.file, offset, len, advice);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	fdput(real);
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ static loff_t ovl_copyfile(struct file *file_in, loff_t pos_in,
 						flags);
 		break;
 	}
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(file_inode(file_out)->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	/* Update size */
 	ovl_file_modified(file_out);
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ static int ovl_flush(struct file *file, fl_owner_t id)
 	if (real.file->f_op->flush) {
 		old_cred = ovl_override_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb);
 		err = real.file->f_op->flush(real.file, id);
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb, old_cred);
 	}
 	fdput(real);
 
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/inode.c b/fs/overlayfs/inode.c
index 35fd3e3e1778..c72aaccd1698 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/inode.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ int ovl_setattr(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct dentry *dentry,
 		inode_lock(upperdentry->d_inode);
 		old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 		err = ovl_do_notify_change(ofs, upperdentry, attr);
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 		if (!err)
 			ovl_copyattr(dentry->d_inode);
 		inode_unlock(upperdentry->d_inode);
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ int ovl_getattr(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, const struct path *path,
 		stat->nlink = dentry->d_inode->i_nlink;
 
 out:
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ int ovl_permission(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
 		mask |= MAY_READ;
 	}
 	err = inode_permission(mnt_idmap(realpath.mnt), realinode, mask);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(inode->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ static const char *ovl_get_link(struct dentry *dentry,
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 	p = vfs_get_link(ovl_dentry_real(dentry), done);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	return p;
 }
 
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ struct posix_acl *do_ovl_get_acl(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
 
 		old_cred = ovl_override_creds(inode->i_sb);
 		acl = ovl_get_acl_path(&realpath, posix_acl_xattr_name(type), noperm);
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(inode->i_sb, old_cred);
 	}
 
 	return acl;
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ static int ovl_set_or_remove_acl(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode,
 		old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 		real_acl = vfs_get_acl(mnt_idmap(realpath.mnt), realdentry,
 				       acl_name);
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 		if (IS_ERR(real_acl)) {
 			err = PTR_ERR(real_acl);
 			goto out;
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ static int ovl_set_or_remove_acl(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode,
 		err = ovl_do_set_acl(ofs, realdentry, acl_name, acl);
 	else
 		err = ovl_do_remove_acl(ofs, realdentry, acl_name);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	ovl_drop_write(dentry);
 
 	/* copy c/mtime */
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ static int ovl_fiemap(struct inode *inode, struct fiemap_extent_info *fieinfo,
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(inode->i_sb);
 	err = realinode->i_op->fiemap(realinode, fieinfo, start, len);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(inode->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ int ovl_fileattr_set(struct mnt_idmap *idmap,
 		err = ovl_set_protattr(inode, upperpath.dentry, fa);
 		if (!err)
 			err = ovl_real_fileattr_set(&upperpath, fa);
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(inode->i_sb, old_cred);
 		ovl_drop_write(dentry);
 
 		/*
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ int ovl_fileattr_get(struct dentry *dentry, struct fileattr *fa)
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(inode->i_sb);
 	err = ovl_real_fileattr_get(&realpath, fa);
 	ovl_fileattr_prot_flags(inode, fa);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(inode->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return err;
 }
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/namei.c b/fs/overlayfs/namei.c
index 5764f91d283e..0abe880dd2ab 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/namei.c
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ static int ovl_maybe_validate_verity(struct dentry *dentry)
 		if (err == 0)
 			ovl_set_flag(OVL_VERIFIED_DIGEST, inode);
 
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	}
 
 	ovl_inode_unlock(inode);
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ static int ovl_maybe_lookup_lowerdata(struct dentry *dentry)
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 	err = ovl_lookup_data_layers(dentry, redirect, &datapath);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	if (err)
 		goto out_err;
 
@@ -1342,7 +1342,7 @@ struct dentry *ovl_lookup(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 
 	ovl_dentry_init_reval(dentry, upperdentry, OVL_I_E(inode));
 
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	if (origin_path) {
 		dput(origin_path->dentry);
 		kfree(origin_path);
@@ -1366,7 +1366,7 @@ out_put_upper:
 	kfree(upperredirect);
 out:
 	kfree(d.redirect);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 }
 
@@ -1423,7 +1423,7 @@ bool ovl_lower_positive(struct dentry *dentry)
 			dput(this);
 		}
 	}
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return positive;
 }
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/overlayfs.h b/fs/overlayfs/overlayfs.h
index 0bfe35da4b7b..5ab112949ea8 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/overlayfs.h
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/overlayfs.h
@@ -429,10 +429,15 @@ int ovl_want_write(struct dentry *dentry);
 void ovl_drop_write(struct dentry *dentry);
 struct dentry *ovl_workdir(struct dentry *dentry);
 const struct cred *ovl_override_creds(struct super_block *sb);
+void ovl_revert_creds(struct super_block *sb, const struct cred *oldcred);
 
 static inline const struct cred *ovl_creds(struct super_block *sb)
 {
-	return OVL_FS(sb)->creator_cred;
+	struct ovl_fs *ofs = OVL_FS(sb);
+
+	if (!ofs->config.override_creds)
+		return NULL;
+	return ofs->creator_cred;
 }
 
 int ovl_can_decode_fh(struct super_block *sb);
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/ovl_entry.h b/fs/overlayfs/ovl_entry.h
index cb449ab310a7..6bd588efc693 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/ovl_entry.h
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/ovl_entry.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ struct ovl_config {
 	bool metacopy;
 	bool userxattr;
 	bool ovl_volatile;
+	bool override_creds;
 };
 
 struct ovl_sb {
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/params.c b/fs/overlayfs/params.c
index d0568c091341..e7a3edcb8ade 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/params.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/params.c
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ module_param_named(metacopy, ovl_metacopy_def, bool, 0644);
 MODULE_PARM_DESC(metacopy,
 		 "Default to on or off for the metadata only copy up feature");
 
+static bool __read_mostly ovl_override_creds_def = true;
+module_param_named(override_creds, ovl_override_creds_def, bool, 0644);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(ovl_override_creds_def,
+		 "Use mounter's credentials for accesses");
+
 enum ovl_opt {
 	Opt_lowerdir,
 	Opt_lowerdir_add,
@@ -59,6 +64,7 @@ enum ovl_opt {
 	Opt_metacopy,
 	Opt_verity,
 	Opt_volatile,
+	Opt_override_creds,
 };
 
 static const struct constant_table ovl_parameter_bool[] = {
@@ -155,6 +161,7 @@ const struct fs_parameter_spec ovl_parameter_spec[] = {
 	fsparam_enum("metacopy",            Opt_metacopy, ovl_parameter_bool),
 	fsparam_enum("verity",              Opt_verity, ovl_parameter_verity),
 	fsparam_flag("volatile",            Opt_volatile),
+	fsparam_enum("override_creds",      Opt_override_creds, ovl_parameter_bool),
 	{}
 };
 
@@ -596,6 +603,9 @@ static int ovl_parse_param(struct fs_context *fc, struct fs_parameter *param)
 	case Opt_userxattr:
 		config->userxattr = true;
 		break;
+	case Opt_override_creds:
+		config->override_creds = result.uint_32;
+		break;
 	default:
 		pr_err("unrecognized mount option \"%s\" or missing value\n",
 		       param->key);
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/readdir.c b/fs/overlayfs/readdir.c
index 0ca8af060b0c..3b99930ea830 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/readdir.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/readdir.c
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ static int ovl_check_whiteouts(const struct path *path, struct ovl_readdir_data
 		}
 		inode_unlock(dir->d_inode);
 	}
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(rdd->dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ static int ovl_iterate(struct file *file, struct dir_context *ctx)
 	}
 	err = 0;
 out:
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ static struct file *ovl_dir_open_realfile(const struct file *file,
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb);
 	res = ovl_path_open(realpath, O_RDONLY | (file->f_flags & O_LARGEFILE));
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(file_inode(file)->i_sb, old_cred);
 
 	return res;
 }
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ int ovl_check_empty_dir(struct dentry *dentry, struct list_head *list)
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 	err = ovl_dir_read_merged(dentry, list, &root);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/util.c b/fs/overlayfs/util.c
index edc9216f6e27..6dd661c2c0d1 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/util.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/util.c
@@ -65,9 +65,17 @@ const struct cred *ovl_override_creds(struct super_block *sb)
 {
 	struct ovl_fs *ofs = OVL_FS(sb);
 
+	if (!ofs->config.override_creds)
+		return NULL;
 	return override_creds(ofs->creator_cred);
 }
 
+void ovl_revert_creds(struct super_block *sb, const struct cred *old_cred)
+{
+	if (old_cred)
+		revert_creds(old_cred);
+}
+
 /*
  * Check if underlying fs supports file handles and try to determine encoding
  * type, in order to deduce maximum inode number used by fs.
@@ -1178,7 +1186,7 @@ int ovl_nlink_start(struct dentry *dentry)
 	 * value relative to the upper inode nlink in an upper inode xattr.
 	 */
 	err = ovl_set_nlink_upper(dentry);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	if (err)
 		goto out_drop_write;
 
@@ -1203,7 +1211,7 @@ void ovl_nlink_end(struct dentry *dentry)
 
 		old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 		ovl_cleanup_index(dentry);
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	}
 
 	ovl_inode_unlock(inode);
diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/xattrs.c b/fs/overlayfs/xattrs.c
index 383978e4663c..0be45ed8fad3 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/xattrs.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/xattrs.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static int ovl_xattr_set(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode, const char
 		ovl_path_lower(dentry, &realpath);
 		old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 		err = vfs_getxattr(mnt_idmap(realpath.mnt), realdentry, name, NULL, 0);
-		revert_creds(old_cred);
+		ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 		if (err < 0)
 			goto out;
 	}
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ static int ovl_xattr_set(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode, const char
 		WARN_ON(flags != XATTR_REPLACE);
 		err = ovl_do_removexattr(ofs, realdentry, name);
 	}
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	ovl_drop_write(dentry);
 
 	/* copy c/mtime */
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ static int ovl_xattr_get(struct dentry *dentry, struct inode *inode, const char
 	ovl_i_path_real(inode, &realpath);
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 	res = vfs_getxattr(mnt_idmap(realpath.mnt), realpath.dentry, name, value, size);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	return res;
 }
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ ssize_t ovl_listxattr(struct dentry *dentry, char *list, size_t size)
 
 	old_cred = ovl_override_creds(dentry->d_sb);
 	res = vfs_listxattr(realdentry, list, size);
-	revert_creds(old_cred);
+	ovl_revert_creds(dentry->d_sb, old_cred);
 	if (res <= 0 || size == 0)
 		return res;