diff --git a/headers/os/drivers/fs_interface.h b/headers/os/drivers/fs_interface.h
index e81cea9341..a758c79b48 100644
--- a/headers/os/drivers/fs_interface.h
+++ b/headers/os/drivers/fs_interface.h
@@ -309,6 +309,7 @@ extern status_t publish_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID,
 extern status_t get_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID,
 					void **_privateNode);
 extern status_t put_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID);
+extern status_t acquire_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID);
 extern status_t remove_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID);
 extern status_t unremove_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID);
 extern status_t get_vnode_removed(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID,
diff --git a/headers/private/fs_shell/fssh_api_wrapper.h b/headers/private/fs_shell/fssh_api_wrapper.h
index 8da598137a..ed09b3cf52 100644
--- a/headers/private/fs_shell/fssh_api_wrapper.h
+++ b/headers/private/fs_shell/fssh_api_wrapper.h
@@ -905,6 +905,7 @@
 #define publish_vnode				fssh_publish_vnode
 #define get_vnode					fssh_get_vnode
 #define put_vnode					fssh_put_vnode
+#define acquire_vnode				fssh_acquire_vnode
 #define remove_vnode				fssh_remove_vnode
 #define unremove_vnode				fssh_unremove_vnode
 #define get_vnode_removed			fssh_get_vnode_removed
diff --git a/headers/private/fs_shell/fssh_fs_interface.h b/headers/private/fs_shell/fssh_fs_interface.h
index 47231f5c71..d4d406c9c8 100644
--- a/headers/private/fs_shell/fssh_fs_interface.h
+++ b/headers/private/fs_shell/fssh_fs_interface.h
@@ -347,6 +347,8 @@ extern fssh_status_t fssh_get_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume,
 				fssh_vnode_id vnodeID, void **_privateNode);
 extern fssh_status_t fssh_put_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume,
 				fssh_vnode_id vnodeID);
+extern fssh_status_t fssh_acquire_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume,
+				fssh_vnode_id vnodeID);
 extern fssh_status_t fssh_remove_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume,
 				fssh_vnode_id vnodeID);
 extern fssh_status_t fssh_unremove_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume,
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp b/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
index f34ad6338e..e191c3332b 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
@@ -3193,6 +3193,23 @@ get_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID, void **_fsNode)
 }
 
 
+extern "C" status_t
+acquire_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID)
+{
+	struct vnode *vnode;
+
+	mutex_lock(&sVnodeMutex);
+	vnode = lookup_vnode(volume->id, vnodeID);
+	mutex_unlock(&sVnodeMutex);
+
+	if (vnode == NULL)
+		return B_BAD_VALUE;
+
+	inc_vnode_ref_count(vnode);
+	return B_OK;
+}
+
+
 extern "C" status_t
 put_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID)
 {
@@ -3202,9 +3219,10 @@ put_vnode(fs_volume *volume, ino_t vnodeID)
 	vnode = lookup_vnode(volume->id, vnodeID);
 	mutex_unlock(&sVnodeMutex);
 
-	if (vnode)
-		dec_vnode_ref_count(vnode, false, true);
+	if (vnode == NULL)
+		return B_BAD_VALUE;
 
+	dec_vnode_ref_count(vnode, false, true);
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tools/fs_shell/vfs.cpp b/src/tools/fs_shell/vfs.cpp
index 795491d15e..aba2b88a2a 100644
--- a/src/tools/fs_shell/vfs.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/fs_shell/vfs.cpp
@@ -2017,6 +2017,23 @@ fssh_get_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume, fssh_vnode_id vnodeID, void **fsNode)
 }
 
 
+extern "C" fssh_status_t
+fssh_acquire_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume, fssh_vnode_id vnodeID)
+{
+	struct vnode *vnode;
+
+	fssh_mutex_lock(&sVnodeMutex);
+	vnode = lookup_vnode(volume->id, vnodeID);
+	fssh_mutex_unlock(&sVnodeMutex);
+
+	if (vnode == NULL)
+		return FSSH_B_BAD_VALUE;
+
+	inc_vnode_ref_count(vnode);
+	return FSSH_B_OK;
+}
+
+
 extern "C" fssh_status_t
 fssh_put_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume, fssh_vnode_id vnodeID)
 {
@@ -2026,9 +2043,10 @@ fssh_put_vnode(fssh_fs_volume *volume, fssh_vnode_id vnodeID)
 	vnode = lookup_vnode(volume->id, vnodeID);
 	fssh_mutex_unlock(&sVnodeMutex);
 
-	if (vnode)
-		dec_vnode_ref_count(vnode, true);
+	if (vnode == NULL)
+		return FSSH_B_BAD_VALUE;
 
+	dec_vnode_ref_count(vnode, true);
 	return FSSH_B_OK;
 }