diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/smpboot.c b/arch/x86/kernel/smpboot.c
index 8c3aca7cb34..7ed9e070a6e 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/smpboot.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/smpboot.c
@@ -282,6 +282,8 @@ static void __cpuinit smp_callin(void)
 	cpu_set(cpuid, cpu_callin_map);
 }
 
+static int __cpuinitdata unsafe_smp;
+
 /*
  * Activate a secondary processor.
  */
@@ -397,7 +399,7 @@ static void __cpuinit smp_apply_quirks(struct cpuinfo_x86 *c)
 				goto valid_k7;
 
 		/* If we get here, not a certified SMP capable AMD system. */
-		add_taint(TAINT_UNSAFE_SMP);
+		unsafe_smp = 1;
 	}
 
 valid_k7:
@@ -414,12 +416,10 @@ static void __cpuinit smp_checks(void)
 	 * Don't taint if we are running SMP kernel on a single non-MP
 	 * approved Athlon
 	 */
-	if (tainted & TAINT_UNSAFE_SMP) {
-		if (num_online_cpus())
-			printk(KERN_INFO "WARNING: This combination of AMD"
-				"processors is not suitable for SMP.\n");
-		else
-			tainted &= ~TAINT_UNSAFE_SMP;
+	if (unsafe_smp && num_online_cpus() > 1) {
+		printk(KERN_INFO "WARNING: This combination of AMD"
+			"processors is not suitable for SMP.\n");
+		add_taint(TAINT_UNSAFE_SMP);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/kernel.h b/include/linux/kernel.h
index 75d81f157d2..e971c55f45a 100644
--- a/include/linux/kernel.h
+++ b/include/linux/kernel.h
@@ -235,9 +235,10 @@ extern int oops_in_progress;		/* If set, an oops, panic(), BUG() or die() is in
 extern int panic_timeout;
 extern int panic_on_oops;
 extern int panic_on_unrecovered_nmi;
-extern int tainted;
 extern const char *print_tainted(void);
-extern void add_taint(unsigned);
+extern void add_taint(unsigned flag);
+extern int test_taint(unsigned flag);
+extern unsigned long get_taint(void);
 extern int root_mountflags;
 
 /* Values used for system_state */
@@ -250,16 +251,16 @@ extern enum system_states {
 	SYSTEM_SUSPEND_DISK,
 } system_state;
 
-#define TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE	(1<<0)
-#define TAINT_FORCED_MODULE		(1<<1)
-#define TAINT_UNSAFE_SMP		(1<<2)
-#define TAINT_FORCED_RMMOD		(1<<3)
-#define TAINT_MACHINE_CHECK		(1<<4)
-#define TAINT_BAD_PAGE			(1<<5)
-#define TAINT_USER			(1<<6)
-#define TAINT_DIE			(1<<7)
-#define TAINT_OVERRIDDEN_ACPI_TABLE	(1<<8)
-#define TAINT_WARN			(1<<9)
+#define TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE	0
+#define TAINT_FORCED_MODULE		1
+#define TAINT_UNSAFE_SMP		2
+#define TAINT_FORCED_RMMOD		3
+#define TAINT_MACHINE_CHECK		4
+#define TAINT_BAD_PAGE			5
+#define TAINT_USER			6
+#define TAINT_DIE			7
+#define TAINT_OVERRIDDEN_ACPI_TABLE	8
+#define TAINT_WARN			9
 
 extern void dump_stack(void) __cold;
 
diff --git a/kernel/module.c b/kernel/module.c
index 9db11911e04..dd9ac6ad5cb 100644
--- a/kernel/module.c
+++ b/kernel/module.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static inline int strong_try_module_get(struct module *mod)
 static inline void add_taint_module(struct module *mod, unsigned flag)
 {
 	add_taint(flag);
-	mod->taints |= flag;
+	mod->taints |= (1U << flag);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -923,7 +923,7 @@ static const char vermagic[] = VERMAGIC_STRING;
 static int try_to_force_load(struct module *mod, const char *symname)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_MODULE_FORCE_LOAD
-	if (!(tainted & TAINT_FORCED_MODULE))
+	if (!test_taint(TAINT_FORCED_MODULE))
 		printk("%s: no version for \"%s\" found: kernel tainted.\n",
 		       mod->name, symname);
 	add_taint_module(mod, TAINT_FORCED_MODULE);
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ static unsigned long resolve_symbol(Elf_Shdr *sechdrs,
 	const unsigned long *crc;
 
 	ret = find_symbol(name, &owner, &crc,
-			  !(mod->taints & TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE), true);
+			  !(mod->taints & (1 << TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE)), true);
 	if (!IS_ERR_VALUE(ret)) {
 		/* use_module can fail due to OOM,
 		   or module initialization or unloading */
@@ -1634,7 +1634,7 @@ static void set_license(struct module *mod, const char *license)
 		license = "unspecified";
 
 	if (!license_is_gpl_compatible(license)) {
-		if (!(tainted & TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE))
+		if (!test_taint(TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE))
 			printk(KERN_WARNING "%s: module license '%s' taints "
 				"kernel.\n", mod->name, license);
 		add_taint_module(mod, TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE);
@@ -2552,9 +2552,9 @@ static char *module_flags(struct module *mod, char *buf)
 	    mod->state == MODULE_STATE_GOING ||
 	    mod->state == MODULE_STATE_COMING) {
 		buf[bx++] = '(';
-		if (mod->taints & TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE)
+		if (mod->taints & (1 << TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE))
 			buf[bx++] = 'P';
-		if (mod->taints & TAINT_FORCED_MODULE)
+		if (mod->taints & (1 << TAINT_FORCED_MODULE))
 			buf[bx++] = 'F';
 		/*
 		 * TAINT_FORCED_RMMOD: could be added.
diff --git a/kernel/panic.c b/kernel/panic.c
index 12c5a0a6c89..028013f7afd 100644
--- a/kernel/panic.c
+++ b/kernel/panic.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #include <linux/kallsyms.h>
 
 int panic_on_oops;
-int tainted;
+static unsigned long tainted_mask;
 static int pause_on_oops;
 static int pause_on_oops_flag;
 static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(pause_on_oops_lock);
@@ -159,31 +159,60 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(panic);
  *	The string is overwritten by the next call to print_taint().
  */
 
+struct tnt {
+	u8 bit;
+	char true;
+	char false;
+};
+
+static const struct tnt tnts[] = {
+	{ TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE, 'P', 'G' },
+	{ TAINT_FORCED_MODULE, 'F', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_UNSAFE_SMP, 'S', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_FORCED_RMMOD, 'R', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_MACHINE_CHECK, 'M', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_BAD_PAGE, 'B', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_USER, 'U', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_DIE, 'D', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_OVERRIDDEN_ACPI_TABLE, 'A', ' ' },
+	{ TAINT_WARN, 'W', ' ' },
+};
+
 const char *print_tainted(void)
 {
-	static char buf[20];
-	if (tainted) {
-		snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "Tainted: %c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c",
-			tainted & TAINT_PROPRIETARY_MODULE ? 'P' : 'G',
-			tainted & TAINT_FORCED_MODULE ? 'F' : ' ',
-			tainted & TAINT_UNSAFE_SMP ? 'S' : ' ',
-			tainted & TAINT_FORCED_RMMOD ? 'R' : ' ',
-			tainted & TAINT_MACHINE_CHECK ? 'M' : ' ',
-			tainted & TAINT_BAD_PAGE ? 'B' : ' ',
-			tainted & TAINT_USER ? 'U' : ' ',
-			tainted & TAINT_DIE ? 'D' : ' ',
-			tainted & TAINT_OVERRIDDEN_ACPI_TABLE ? 'A' : ' ',
-			tainted & TAINT_WARN ? 'W' : ' ');
-	}
-	else
+	static char buf[ARRAY_SIZE(tnts) + sizeof("Tainted: ") + 1];
+
+	if (tainted_mask) {
+		char *s;
+		int i;
+
+		s = buf + sprintf(buf, "Tainted: ");
+		for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(tnts); i++) {
+			const struct tnt *t = &tnts[i];
+			*s++ = test_bit(t->bit, &tainted_mask) ?
+					t->true : t->false;
+		}
+		*s = 0;
+	} else
 		snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "Not tainted");
 	return(buf);
 }
 
+int test_taint(unsigned flag)
+{
+	return test_bit(flag, &tainted_mask);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(test_taint);
+
+unsigned long get_taint(void)
+{
+	return tainted_mask;
+}
+
 void add_taint(unsigned flag)
 {
 	debug_locks = 0; /* can't trust the integrity of the kernel anymore */
-	tainted |= flag;
+	set_bit(flag, &tainted_mask);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(add_taint);
 
diff --git a/kernel/softlockup.c b/kernel/softlockup.c
index cb838ee93a8..3953e4aed73 100644
--- a/kernel/softlockup.c
+++ b/kernel/softlockup.c
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ static void check_hung_uninterruptible_tasks(int this_cpu)
 	 * If the system crashed already then all bets are off,
 	 * do not report extra hung tasks:
 	 */
-	if ((tainted & TAINT_DIE) || did_panic)
+	if (test_taint(TAINT_DIE) || did_panic)
 		return;
 
 	read_lock(&tasklist_lock);
diff --git a/kernel/sysctl.c b/kernel/sysctl.c
index cfc5295f1e8..ec88fcc9a0d 100644
--- a/kernel/sysctl.c
+++ b/kernel/sysctl.c
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ extern int max_lock_depth;
 #ifdef CONFIG_PROC_SYSCTL
 static int proc_do_cad_pid(struct ctl_table *table, int write, struct file *filp,
 		  void __user *buffer, size_t *lenp, loff_t *ppos);
-static int proc_dointvec_taint(struct ctl_table *table, int write, struct file *filp,
+static int proc_taint(struct ctl_table *table, int write, struct file *filp,
 			       void __user *buffer, size_t *lenp, loff_t *ppos);
 #endif
 
@@ -379,10 +379,9 @@ static struct ctl_table kern_table[] = {
 #ifdef CONFIG_PROC_SYSCTL
 	{
 		.procname	= "tainted",
-		.data		= &tainted,
-		.maxlen		= sizeof(int),
+		.maxlen 	= sizeof(long),
 		.mode		= 0644,
-		.proc_handler	= &proc_dointvec_taint,
+		.proc_handler	= &proc_taint,
 	},
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_LATENCYTOP
@@ -2228,49 +2227,39 @@ int proc_dointvec(struct ctl_table *table, int write, struct file *filp,
 		    	    NULL,NULL);
 }
 
-#define OP_SET	0
-#define OP_AND	1
-#define OP_OR	2
-
-static int do_proc_dointvec_bset_conv(int *negp, unsigned long *lvalp,
-				      int *valp,
-				      int write, void *data)
-{
-	int op = *(int *)data;
-	if (write) {
-		int val = *negp ? -*lvalp : *lvalp;
-		switch(op) {
-		case OP_SET:	*valp = val; break;
-		case OP_AND:	*valp &= val; break;
-		case OP_OR:	*valp |= val; break;
-		}
-	} else {
-		int val = *valp;
-		if (val < 0) {
-			*negp = -1;
-			*lvalp = (unsigned long)-val;
-		} else {
-			*negp = 0;
-			*lvalp = (unsigned long)val;
-		}
-	}
-	return 0;
-}
-
 /*
- *	Taint values can only be increased
+ * Taint values can only be increased
+ * This means we can safely use a temporary.
  */
-static int proc_dointvec_taint(struct ctl_table *table, int write, struct file *filp,
+static int proc_taint(struct ctl_table *table, int write, struct file *filp,
 			       void __user *buffer, size_t *lenp, loff_t *ppos)
 {
-	int op;
+	struct ctl_table t;
+	unsigned long tmptaint = get_taint();
+	int err;
 
 	if (write && !capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
 		return -EPERM;
 
-	op = OP_OR;
-	return do_proc_dointvec(table,write,filp,buffer,lenp,ppos,
-				do_proc_dointvec_bset_conv,&op);
+	t = *table;
+	t.data = &tmptaint;
+	err = proc_doulongvec_minmax(&t, write, filp, buffer, lenp, ppos);
+	if (err < 0)
+		return err;
+
+	if (write) {
+		/*
+		 * Poor man's atomic or. Not worth adding a primitive
+		 * to everyone's atomic.h for this
+		 */
+		int i;
+		for (i = 0; i < BITS_PER_LONG && tmptaint >> i; i++) {
+			if ((tmptaint >> i) & 1)
+				add_taint(i);
+		}
+	}
+
+	return err;
 }
 
 struct do_proc_dointvec_minmax_conv_param {