diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/Journal.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/Journal.cpp
index f0f7b881a8..3647bfb6e8 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/Journal.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/Journal.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ Journal::Journal(Volume *volume)
 	fVolume(volume),
 	fLock("bfs journal"),
 	fOwner(NULL),
-	fOwningThread(-1),
 	fArray(volume->BlockSize()),
 	fLogSize(volume->Log().length),
 	fMaxTransactionSize(fLogSize / 4 - 5),
@@ -338,10 +337,8 @@ Journal::Lock(Transaction *owner)
 		return B_OK;
 
 	status_t status = fLock.Lock();
-	if (status == B_OK) {
+	if (status == B_OK)
 		fOwner = owner;
-		fOwningThread = find_thread(NULL);
-	}
 
 	// if the last transaction is older than 2 secs, start a new one
 	if (fTransactionsInEntry != 0 && system_time() - fTimestamp > 2000000L)
@@ -361,11 +358,27 @@ Journal::Unlock(Transaction *owner, bool success)
 
 	fTimestamp = system_time();
 	fOwner = NULL;
-	fOwningThread = -1;
 	fLock.Unlock();
 }
 
 
+/** If there is a current transaction that the current thread has
+ *	started, this function will give you access to it.
+ */
+
+Transaction *
+Journal::CurrentTransaction()
+{
+	if (fLock.LockWithTimeout(0) != B_OK)
+		return NULL;
+
+	Transaction *owner = fOwner;
+	fLock.Unlock();
+
+	return owner;
+}
+
+
 status_t
 Journal::TransactionDone(bool success)
 {
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/Journal.h b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/Journal.h
index 05f550e39f..aa0904dcbe 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/Journal.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/Journal.h
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ class Journal {
 		status_t WriteLogEntry();
 		status_t LogBlocks(off_t blockNumber, const uint8 *buffer, size_t numBlocks);
 
-		thread_id CurrentThread() const { return fOwningThread; }
-		Transaction *CurrentTransaction() const { return fOwner; }
+		Transaction *CurrentTransaction();
 		uint32 TransactionSize() const { return fArray.CountItems() + fArray.BlocksUsed(); }
 
 		status_t FlushLogAndBlocks();
@@ -69,9 +68,8 @@ class Journal {
 		status_t TransactionDone(bool success);
 
 		Volume		*fVolume;
-		Semaphore	fLock;
+		RecursiveLock	fLock;
 		Transaction *fOwner;
-		thread_id	fOwningThread;
 		BlockArray	fArray;
 		uint32		fLogSize, fMaxTransactionSize, fUsed;
 		int32		fTransactionsInEntry;
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/kernel_interface.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/kernel_interface.cpp
index ab401bc813..480d64bf8e 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/kernel_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs/kernel_interface.cpp
@@ -459,13 +459,16 @@ bfs_remove_vnode(void *_ns, void *_node, char reenter)
 	// If the inode isn't in use anymore, we were called before
 	// bfs_unlink() returns - in this case, we can just use the
 	// transaction which has already deleted the inode.
-	Transaction localTransaction, *transaction = &localTransaction;
-	Journal *journal = volume->GetJournal(volume->ToBlock(inode->Parent()));
+	Transaction localTransaction, *transaction = NULL;
 
-	if (journal != NULL && journal->CurrentThread() == find_thread(NULL))
+	Journal *journal = volume->GetJournal(volume->ToBlock(inode->Parent()));
+	if (journal != NULL)
 		transaction = journal->CurrentTransaction();
-	else
+
+	if (transaction == NULL) {
+		transaction = &localTransaction;
 		localTransaction.Start(volume, inode->BlockNumber());
+	}
 
 	status_t status = inode->Free(transaction);
 	if (status == B_OK) {