return rv;
 }
 
+static ssize_t nfsctl_transaction_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf, size_t size, loff_t *pos)
+{
+       if (! file->private_data) {
+               /* An attempt to read a transaction file without writing
+                * causes a 0-byte write so that the file can return
+                * state information
+                */
+               ssize_t rv = nfsctl_transaction_write(file, buf, 0, pos);
+               if (rv < 0)
+                       return rv;
+       }
+       return simple_transaction_read(file, buf, size, pos);
+}
+
 static struct file_operations transaction_ops = {
        .write          = nfsctl_transaction_write,
-       .read           = simple_transaction_read,
+       .read           = nfsctl_transaction_read,
        .release        = simple_transaction_release,
 };