_enter("%s,%s", name, vllist);
 
+       down_write(&afs_cells_sem);
+       read_lock(&afs_cells_lock);
+       list_for_each_entry(cell, &afs_cells, link) {
+               if (strcasecmp(cell->name, name) == 0)
+                       goto duplicate_name;
+       }
+       read_unlock(&afs_cells_lock);
+
        cell = afs_cell_alloc(name, vllist);
        if (IS_ERR(cell)) {
                _leave(" = %ld", PTR_ERR(cell));
                return cell;
        }
 
-       down_write(&afs_cells_sem);
-
        /* add a proc directory for this cell */
        ret = afs_proc_cell_setup(cell);
        if (ret < 0)
        kfree(cell);
        _leave(" = %d", ret);
        return ERR_PTR(ret);
+
+duplicate_name:
+       read_unlock(&afs_cells_lock);
+       up_write(&afs_cells_sem);
+       return ERR_PTR(-EEXIST);
 }
 
 /*