diff --git a/fs/nfs/super.c b/fs/nfs/super.c
index ceb60c78bfc0..8d51101771fc 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/super.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/super.c
@@ -1608,16 +1608,13 @@ static int nfs_parse_mount_options(char *raw,
 }
 
 /*
- * Select a security flavor for this mount.  The selected flavor
- * is planted in args->auth_flavors[0].
- *
- * Returns 0 on success, -EACCES on failure.
+ * Ensure that the specified authtype in args->auth_flavors[0] is supported by
+ * the server. Returns 0 if it's ok, and -EACCES if not.
  */
-static int nfs_select_flavor(struct nfs_parsed_mount_data *args,
-			      struct nfs_mount_request *request)
+static int nfs_verify_authflavor(struct nfs_parsed_mount_data *args,
+			rpc_authflavor_t *server_authlist, unsigned int count)
 {
-	unsigned int i, count = *(request->auth_flav_len);
-	rpc_authflavor_t flavor;
+	unsigned int i;
 
 	/*
 	 * If the sec= mount option is used, the specified flavor or AUTH_NULL
@@ -1627,60 +1624,19 @@ static int nfs_select_flavor(struct nfs_parsed_mount_data *args,
 	 * means that the server will ignore the rpc creds, so any flavor
 	 * can be used.
 	 */
-	if (args->auth_flavors[0] != RPC_AUTH_MAXFLAVOR) {
-		for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-			if (args->auth_flavors[0] == request->auth_flavs[i] ||
-			    request->auth_flavs[i] == RPC_AUTH_NULL)
-				goto out;
-		}
-		dfprintk(MOUNT, "NFS: auth flavor %d not supported by server\n",
-			args->auth_flavors[0]);
-		goto out_err;
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * RFC 2623, section 2.7 suggests we SHOULD prefer the
-	 * flavor listed first.  However, some servers list
-	 * AUTH_NULL first.  Avoid ever choosing AUTH_NULL.
-	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-		struct rpcsec_gss_info info;
-
-		flavor = request->auth_flavs[i];
-		switch (flavor) {
-		case RPC_AUTH_UNIX:
-			goto out_set;
-		case RPC_AUTH_NULL:
-			continue;
-		default:
-			if (rpcauth_get_gssinfo(flavor, &info) == 0)
-				goto out_set;
-		}
+		if (args->auth_flavors[0] == server_authlist[i] ||
+		    server_authlist[i] == RPC_AUTH_NULL)
+			goto out;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * As a last chance, see if the server list contains AUTH_NULL -
-	 * if it does, use the default flavor.
-	 */
-	for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-		if (request->auth_flavs[i] == RPC_AUTH_NULL)
-			goto out_default;
-	}
-
-	dfprintk(MOUNT, "NFS: no auth flavors in common with server\n");
-	goto out_err;
-
-out_default:
-	/* use default if flavor not already set */
-	flavor = (args->auth_flavors[0] == RPC_AUTH_MAXFLAVOR) ?
-		RPC_AUTH_UNIX : args->auth_flavors[0];
-out_set:
-	args->auth_flavors[0] = flavor;
-out:
-	dfprintk(MOUNT, "NFS: using auth flavor %d\n", args->auth_flavors[0]);
-	return 0;
-out_err:
+	dfprintk(MOUNT, "NFS: auth flavor %u not supported by server\n",
+		args->auth_flavors[0]);
 	return -EACCES;
+
+out:
+	dfprintk(MOUNT, "NFS: using auth flavor %u\n", args->auth_flavors[0]);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1743,13 +1699,17 @@ static int nfs_request_mount(struct nfs_parsed_mount_data *args,
 		return status;
 	}
 
-	return nfs_select_flavor(args, &request);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static struct nfs_server *nfs_try_mount_request(struct nfs_mount_info *mount_info,
 					struct nfs_subversion *nfs_mod)
 {
 	int status;
+	unsigned int i;
+	bool tried_auth_unix = false;
+	bool auth_null_in_list = false;
+	struct nfs_server *server = ERR_PTR(-EACCES);
 	struct nfs_parsed_mount_data *args = mount_info->parsed;
 	rpc_authflavor_t authlist[NFS_MAX_SECFLAVORS];
 	unsigned int authlist_len = ARRAY_SIZE(authlist);
@@ -1759,6 +1719,58 @@ static struct nfs_server *nfs_try_mount_request(struct nfs_mount_info *mount_inf
 	if (status)
 		return ERR_PTR(status);
 
+	/*
+	 * Was a sec= authflavor specified in the options? First, verify
+	 * whether the server supports it, and then just try to use it if so.
+	 */
+	if (args->auth_flavors[0] != RPC_AUTH_MAXFLAVOR) {
+		status = nfs_verify_authflavor(args, authlist, authlist_len);
+		dfprintk(MOUNT, "NFS: using auth flavor %u\n", args->auth_flavors[0]);
+		if (status)
+			return ERR_PTR(status);
+		return nfs_mod->rpc_ops->create_server(mount_info, nfs_mod);
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * No sec= option was provided. RFC 2623, section 2.7 suggests we
+	 * SHOULD prefer the flavor listed first. However, some servers list
+	 * AUTH_NULL first. Avoid ever choosing AUTH_NULL.
+	 */
+	for (i = 0; i < authlist_len; ++i) {
+		rpc_authflavor_t flavor;
+		struct rpcsec_gss_info info;
+
+		flavor = authlist[i];
+		switch (flavor) {
+		case RPC_AUTH_UNIX:
+			tried_auth_unix = true;
+			break;
+		case RPC_AUTH_NULL:
+			auth_null_in_list = true;
+			continue;
+		default:
+			if (rpcauth_get_gssinfo(flavor, &info) != 0)
+				continue;
+			/* Fallthrough */
+		}
+		dfprintk(MOUNT, "NFS: attempting to use auth flavor %u\n", flavor);
+		args->auth_flavors[0] = flavor;
+		server = nfs_mod->rpc_ops->create_server(mount_info, nfs_mod);
+		if (!IS_ERR(server))
+			return server;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Nothing we tried so far worked. At this point, give up if we've
+	 * already tried AUTH_UNIX or if the server's list doesn't contain
+	 * AUTH_NULL
+	 */
+	if (tried_auth_unix || !auth_null_in_list)
+		return server;
+
+	/* Last chance! Try AUTH_UNIX */
+	dfprintk(MOUNT, "NFS: attempting to use auth flavor %u\n", RPC_AUTH_UNIX);
+	args->auth_flavors[0] = RPC_AUTH_UNIX;
 	return nfs_mod->rpc_ops->create_server(mount_info, nfs_mod);
 }