diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/AbstractFileSystem.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/AbstractFileSystem.java
index 67dbc2e6fef..23672d6ce81 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/AbstractFileSystem.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/AbstractFileSystem.java
@@ -865,6 +865,19 @@ public abstract class AbstractFileSystem implements PathCapabilities {
       throws AccessControlException, FileNotFoundException,
       UnresolvedLinkException, IOException;
 
+  /**
+   * Synchronize client metadata state.
+   * <p/>In some FileSystem implementations such as HDFS metadata
+   * synchronization is essential to guarantee consistency of read requests
+   * particularly in HA setting.
+   * @throws IOException
+   * @throws UnsupportedOperationException
+   */
+  public void msync() throws IOException, UnsupportedOperationException {
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException(getClass().getCanonicalName() +
+        " does not support method msync");
+  }
+
   /**
    * The specification of this method matches that of
    * {@link FileContext#access(Path, FsAction)}
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileContext.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileContext.java
index e376efcde94..cddac5222da 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileContext.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileContext.java
@@ -1249,6 +1249,16 @@ public class FileContext implements PathCapabilities {
     }.resolve(this, absF);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Synchronize client metadata state.
+   *
+   * @throws IOException
+   * @throws UnsupportedOperationException
+   */
+  public void msync() throws IOException, UnsupportedOperationException {
+    defaultFS.msync();
+  }
+
   /**
    * Checks if the user can access a path.  The mode specifies which access
    * checks to perform.  If the requested permissions are granted, then the
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileSystem.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileSystem.java
index 74619097c37..0b84257cbbc 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileSystem.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FileSystem.java
@@ -2674,6 +2674,19 @@ public abstract class FileSystem extends Configured
    */
   public abstract FileStatus getFileStatus(Path f) throws IOException;
 
+  /**
+   * Synchronize client metadata state.
+   * <p/>In some FileSystem implementations such as HDFS metadata
+   * synchronization is essential to guarantee consistency of read requests
+   * particularly in HA setting.
+   * @throws IOException
+   * @throws UnsupportedOperationException
+   */
+  public void msync() throws IOException, UnsupportedOperationException {
+    throw new UnsupportedOperationException(getClass().getCanonicalName() +
+        " does not support method msync");
+  }
+
   /**
    * Checks if the user can access a path.  The mode specifies which access
    * checks to perform.  If the requested permissions are granted, then the
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FilterFileSystem.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FilterFileSystem.java
index 42410974db1..607aa263622 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FilterFileSystem.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FilterFileSystem.java
@@ -462,6 +462,11 @@ public class FilterFileSystem extends FileSystem {
     return fs.getFileStatus(f);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public void msync() throws IOException, UnsupportedOperationException {
+    fs.msync();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void access(Path path, FsAction mode) throws AccessControlException,
       FileNotFoundException, IOException {
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FilterFs.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FilterFs.java
index 27e75d8a25d..7d979b37b4a 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FilterFs.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/FilterFs.java
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ public abstract class FilterFs extends AbstractFileSystem {
     return myFs.getFileStatus(f);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public void msync() throws IOException, UnsupportedOperationException {
+    myFs.msync();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void access(Path path, FsAction mode) throws AccessControlException,
       FileNotFoundException, UnresolvedLinkException, IOException {
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/HarFileSystem.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/HarFileSystem.java
index 5f4c4a236e9..02c0916e544 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/HarFileSystem.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/HarFileSystem.java
@@ -676,6 +676,11 @@ public class HarFileSystem extends FileSystem {
     return hstatus;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public void msync() throws IOException, UnsupportedOperationException {
+    fs.msync();
+  }
+
   /**
    * @return null since no checksum algorithm is implemented.
    */
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/Hdfs.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/Hdfs.java
index 4162b198fb1..60ce8cd3de3 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/Hdfs.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/Hdfs.java
@@ -153,7 +153,18 @@ public class Hdfs extends AbstractFileSystem {
       throw new FileNotFoundException("File does not exist: " + f.toString());
     }
   }
-  
+
+  /**
+   * Synchronize client metadata state with Active NameNode.
+   * <p/>In HA the client synchronizes its state with the Active NameNode
+   * in order to guarantee subsequent read consistency from Observer Nodes.
+   * @throws IOException
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void msync() throws IOException {
+    dfs.msync();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public FileStatus getFileLinkStatus(Path f) 
       throws IOException, UnresolvedLinkException {
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/DistributedFileSystem.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/DistributedFileSystem.java
index 89232380ad4..97e9c58544d 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/DistributedFileSystem.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/DistributedFileSystem.java
@@ -1764,6 +1764,17 @@ public class DistributedFileSystem extends FileSystem
     }.resolve(this, absF);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Synchronize client metadata state with Active NameNode.
+   * <p/>In HA the client synchronizes its state with the Active NameNode
+   * in order to guarantee subsequent read consistency from Observer Nodes.
+   * @throws IOException
+   */
+  @Override
+  public void msync() throws IOException {
+    dfs.msync();
+  }
+
   @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
   @Override
   public void createSymlink(final Path target, final Path link,
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/MiniDFSCluster.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/MiniDFSCluster.java
index 7c9c8996477..a2a90669bbd 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/MiniDFSCluster.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/MiniDFSCluster.java
@@ -2679,7 +2679,8 @@ public class MiniDFSCluster implements AutoCloseable {
   public void rollEditLogAndTail(int nnIndex) throws Exception {
     getNameNode(nnIndex).getRpcServer().rollEditLog();
     for (int i = 2; i < getNumNameNodes(); i++) {
-      getNameNode(i).getNamesystem().getEditLogTailer().doTailEdits();
+      long el = getNameNode(i).getNamesystem().getEditLogTailer().doTailEdits();
+      LOG.info("editsLoaded {}", el);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/TestConsistentReadsObserver.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/TestConsistentReadsObserver.java
index 96067858c9d..854027a1164 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/TestConsistentReadsObserver.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/TestConsistentReadsObserver.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
@@ -30,9 +31,12 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 
 import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.CommonConfigurationKeys;
+import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileContext;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.permission.FsPermission;
+import org.apache.hadoop.ha.HAServiceProtocol.HAServiceState;
+import org.apache.hadoop.ha.HAServiceStatus;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.DistributedFileSystem;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.MiniDFSCluster;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.client.HdfsClientConfigKeys;
@@ -108,7 +112,8 @@ public class TestConsistentReadsObserver {
     final int observerIdx = 2;
     NameNode nn = dfsCluster.getNameNode(observerIdx);
     int port = nn.getNameNodeAddress().getPort();
-    Configuration configuration = dfsCluster.getConfiguration(observerIdx);
+    Configuration originalConf = dfsCluster.getConfiguration(observerIdx);
+    Configuration configuration = new Configuration(originalConf);
     String prefix = CommonConfigurationKeys.IPC_NAMESPACE + "." + port + ".";
     configuration.set(prefix + CommonConfigurationKeys.IPC_SCHEDULER_IMPL_KEY,
         TestRpcScheduler.class.getName());
@@ -125,6 +130,8 @@ public class TestConsistentReadsObserver {
     // be triggered and client should retry active NN.
     dfs.getFileStatus(testPath);
     assertSentTo(0);
+    // reset the original call queue
+    NameNodeAdapter.getRpcServer(nn).refreshCallQueue(originalConf);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -194,7 +201,7 @@ public class TestConsistentReadsObserver {
         // Therefore, the subsequent getFileStatus call should succeed.
         if (!autoMsync) {
           // If not testing auto-msync, perform an explicit one here
-          dfs2.getClient().msync();
+          dfs2.msync();
         } else if (autoMsyncPeriodMs > 0) {
           Thread.sleep(autoMsyncPeriodMs);
         }
@@ -383,6 +390,35 @@ public class TestConsistentReadsObserver {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test(timeout=10000)
+  public void testMsyncFileContext() throws Exception {
+    NameNode nn0 = dfsCluster.getNameNode(0);
+    NameNode nn2 = dfsCluster.getNameNode(2);
+    HAServiceStatus st = nn0.getRpcServer().getServiceStatus();
+    assertEquals("nn0 is not active", HAServiceState.ACTIVE, st.getState());
+    st = nn2.getRpcServer().getServiceStatus();
+    assertEquals("nn2 is not observer", HAServiceState.OBSERVER, st.getState());
+
+    FileContext fc = FileContext.getFileContext(conf);
+    // initialize observer proxy for FileContext
+    fc.getFsStatus(testPath);
+
+    Path p = new Path(testPath, "testMsyncFileContext");
+    fc.mkdir(p, FsPermission.getDefault(), true);
+    fc.msync();
+    dfsCluster.rollEditLogAndTail(0);
+    LOG.info("State id active = {}, Stat id observer = {}",
+        nn0.getNamesystem().getFSImage().getLastAppliedOrWrittenTxId(),
+        nn2.getNamesystem().getFSImage().getLastAppliedOrWrittenTxId());
+    try {
+      // if getFileStatus is taking too long due to server requeueing
+      // the test will time out
+      fc.getFileStatus(p);
+    } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
+      fail("File should exist on Observer after msync");
+    }
+  }
+
   private void assertSentTo(int nnIdx) throws IOException {
     assertTrue("Request was not sent to the expected namenode " + nnIdx,
         HATestUtil.isSentToAnyOfNameNodes(dfs, dfsCluster, nnIdx));