diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
index 7b4e0c5159a..fd486051b81 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
@@ -449,6 +449,8 @@ Release 2.7.0 - UNRELEASED
 
     HDFS-7498. Simplify the logic in INodesInPath. (jing9)
 
+    HDFS-7463. Simplify FSNamesystem#getBlockLocationsUpdateTimes. (wheat9)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
     HDFS-7454. Reduce memory footprint for AclEntries in NameNode.
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSNamesystem.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSNamesystem.java
index 30ac941ccb3..c17c4f51e1d 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSNamesystem.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/FSNamesystem.java
@@ -1749,27 +1749,76 @@ public class FSNamesystem implements Namesystem, FSNamesystemMBean,
     logAuditEvent(true, "setOwner", srcArg, null, resultingStat);
   }
 
+  static class GetBlockLocationsResult {
+    final INodesInPath iip;
+    final LocatedBlocks blocks;
+    boolean updateAccessTime() {
+      return iip != null;
+    }
+    private GetBlockLocationsResult(INodesInPath iip, LocatedBlocks blocks) {
+      this.iip = iip;
+      this.blocks = blocks;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Get block locations within the specified range.
    * @see ClientProtocol#getBlockLocations(String, long, long)
    */
   LocatedBlocks getBlockLocations(String clientMachine, String src,
-      long offset, long length) throws AccessControlException,
-      FileNotFoundException, UnresolvedLinkException, IOException {
-    LocatedBlocks blocks = getBlockLocations(src, offset, length, true, true,
-        true);
+      long offset, long length) throws IOException {
+    checkOperation(OperationCategory.READ);
+    GetBlockLocationsResult res = null;
+    readLock();
+    try {
+      checkOperation(OperationCategory.READ);
+      res = getBlockLocations(src, offset, length, true, true);
+    } catch (AccessControlException e) {
+      logAuditEvent(false, "open", src);
+      throw e;
+    } finally {
+      readUnlock();
+    }
+
+    logAuditEvent(true, "open", src);
+
+    if (res == null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (res.updateAccessTime()) {
+      writeLock();
+      final long now = now();
+      try {
+        checkOperation(OperationCategory.WRITE);
+        INode inode = res.iip.getLastINode();
+        boolean updateAccessTime = now > inode.getAccessTime() +
+            getAccessTimePrecision();
+        if (!isInSafeMode() && updateAccessTime) {
+          boolean changed = dir.setTimes(
+              inode, -1, now, false, res.iip.getLatestSnapshotId());
+          if (changed) {
+            getEditLog().logTimes(src, -1, now);
+          }
+        }
+      } catch (Throwable e) {
+        LOG.warn("Failed to update the access time of " + src, e);
+      } finally {
+        writeUnlock();
+      }
+    }
+
+    LocatedBlocks blocks = res.blocks;
     if (blocks != null) {
-      blockManager.getDatanodeManager().sortLocatedBlocks(clientMachine,
-          blocks.getLocatedBlocks());
+      blockManager.getDatanodeManager().sortLocatedBlocks(
+          clientMachine, blocks.getLocatedBlocks());
 
       // lastBlock is not part of getLocatedBlocks(), might need to sort it too
       LocatedBlock lastBlock = blocks.getLastLocatedBlock();
       if (lastBlock != null) {
-        ArrayList<LocatedBlock> lastBlockList =
-            Lists.newArrayListWithCapacity(1);
-        lastBlockList.add(lastBlock);
-        blockManager.getDatanodeManager().sortLocatedBlocks(clientMachine,
-            lastBlockList);
+        ArrayList<LocatedBlock> lastBlockList = Lists.newArrayList(lastBlock);
+        blockManager.getDatanodeManager().sortLocatedBlocks(
+            clientMachine, lastBlockList);
       }
     }
     return blocks;
@@ -1778,24 +1827,11 @@ public class FSNamesystem implements Namesystem, FSNamesystemMBean,
   /**
    * Get block locations within the specified range.
    * @see ClientProtocol#getBlockLocations(String, long, long)
-   * @throws FileNotFoundException, UnresolvedLinkException, IOException
+   * @throws IOException
    */
-  LocatedBlocks getBlockLocations(String src, long offset, long length,
-      boolean doAccessTime, boolean needBlockToken, boolean checkSafeMode)
-      throws FileNotFoundException, UnresolvedLinkException, IOException {
-    try {
-      return getBlockLocationsInt(src, offset, length, doAccessTime,
-                                  needBlockToken, checkSafeMode);
-    } catch (AccessControlException e) {
-      logAuditEvent(false, "open", src);
-      throw e;
-    }
-  }
-
-  private LocatedBlocks getBlockLocationsInt(String src, long offset,
-      long length, boolean doAccessTime, boolean needBlockToken,
-      boolean checkSafeMode)
-      throws FileNotFoundException, UnresolvedLinkException, IOException {
+  GetBlockLocationsResult getBlockLocations(
+      String src, long offset, long length, boolean needBlockToken,
+      boolean checkSafeMode) throws IOException {
     if (offset < 0) {
       throw new HadoopIllegalArgumentException(
           "Negative offset is not supported. File: " + src);
@@ -1804,16 +1840,16 @@ public class FSNamesystem implements Namesystem, FSNamesystemMBean,
       throw new HadoopIllegalArgumentException(
           "Negative length is not supported. File: " + src);
     }
-    final LocatedBlocks ret = getBlockLocationsUpdateTimes(src,
-        offset, length, doAccessTime, needBlockToken);  
-    logAuditEvent(true, "open", src);
+    final GetBlockLocationsResult ret = getBlockLocationsInt(
+        src, offset, length, needBlockToken);
+
     if (checkSafeMode && isInSafeMode()) {
-      for (LocatedBlock b : ret.getLocatedBlocks()) {
+      for (LocatedBlock b : ret.blocks.getLocatedBlocks()) {
         // if safemode & no block locations yet then throw safemodeException
         if ((b.getLocations() == null) || (b.getLocations().length == 0)) {
           SafeModeException se = new SafeModeException(
               "Zero blocklocations for " + src, safeMode);
-          if (haEnabled && haContext != null && 
+          if (haEnabled && haContext != null &&
               haContext.getState().getServiceState() == HAServiceState.ACTIVE) {
             throw new RetriableException(se);
           } else {
@@ -1825,95 +1861,49 @@ public class FSNamesystem implements Namesystem, FSNamesystemMBean,
     return ret;
   }
 
-  /*
-   * Get block locations within the specified range, updating the
-   * access times if necessary. 
-   */
-  private LocatedBlocks getBlockLocationsUpdateTimes(final String srcArg,
-      long offset, long length, boolean doAccessTime, boolean needBlockToken)
+  private GetBlockLocationsResult getBlockLocationsInt(
+      final String srcArg, long offset, long length, boolean needBlockToken)
       throws IOException {
     String src = srcArg;
     FSPermissionChecker pc = getPermissionChecker();
     byte[][] pathComponents = FSDirectory.getPathComponentsForReservedPath(src);
-    for (int attempt = 0; attempt < 2; attempt++) {
-      boolean isReadOp = (attempt == 0);
-      if (isReadOp) { // first attempt is with readlock
-        checkOperation(OperationCategory.READ);
-        readLock();
-      }  else { // second attempt is with  write lock
-        checkOperation(OperationCategory.WRITE);
-        writeLock(); // writelock is needed to set accesstime
-      }
-      try {
-        if (isReadOp) {
-          checkOperation(OperationCategory.READ);
-        } else {
-          checkOperation(OperationCategory.WRITE);
-        }
-        src = dir.resolvePath(pc, src, pathComponents);
-        final INodesInPath iip = dir.getINodesInPath(src, true);
-        if (isPermissionEnabled) {
-          dir.checkPathAccess(pc, iip, FsAction.READ);
-        }
-
-        // if the namenode is in safemode, then do not update access time
-        if (isInSafeMode()) {
-          doAccessTime = false;
-        }
-
-        final INodeFile inode = INodeFile.valueOf(iip.getLastINode(), src);
-        if (isPermissionEnabled) {
-          checkUnreadableBySuperuser(pc, inode, iip.getPathSnapshotId());
-        }
-        if (!iip.isSnapshot() //snapshots are readonly, so don't update atime.
-            && doAccessTime && isAccessTimeSupported()) {
-          final long now = now();
-          if (now > inode.getAccessTime() + getAccessTimePrecision()) {
-            // if we have to set access time but we only have the readlock, then
-            // restart this entire operation with the writeLock.
-            if (isReadOp) {
-              continue;
-            }
-            boolean changed = dir.setTimes(inode, -1, now, false,
-                    iip.getLatestSnapshotId());
-            if (changed) {
-              getEditLog().logTimes(src, -1, now);
-            }
-          }
-        }
-        final long fileSize = iip.isSnapshot() ?
-            inode.computeFileSize(iip.getPathSnapshotId())
-            : inode.computeFileSizeNotIncludingLastUcBlock();
-        boolean isUc = inode.isUnderConstruction();
-        if (iip.isSnapshot()) {
-          // if src indicates a snapshot file, we need to make sure the returned
-          // blocks do not exceed the size of the snapshot file.
-          length = Math.min(length, fileSize - offset);
-          isUc = false;
-        }
-
-        final FileEncryptionInfo feInfo =
-          FSDirectory.isReservedRawName(srcArg) ?
-          null : dir.getFileEncryptionInfo(inode, iip.getPathSnapshotId(),
-              iip);
-
-        final LocatedBlocks blocks =
-          blockManager.createLocatedBlocks(inode.getBlocks(), fileSize,
-            isUc, offset, length, needBlockToken, iip.isSnapshot(), feInfo);
-        // Set caching information for the located blocks.
-        for (LocatedBlock lb: blocks.getLocatedBlocks()) {
-          cacheManager.setCachedLocations(lb);
-        }
-        return blocks;
-      } finally {
-        if (isReadOp) {
-          readUnlock();
-        } else {
-          writeUnlock();
-        }
-      }
+    src = dir.resolvePath(pc, src, pathComponents);
+    final INodesInPath iip = dir.getINodesInPath(src, true);
+    final INodeFile inode = INodeFile.valueOf(iip.getLastINode(), src);
+    if (isPermissionEnabled) {
+      dir.checkPathAccess(pc, iip, FsAction.READ);
+      checkUnreadableBySuperuser(pc, inode, iip.getPathSnapshotId());
     }
-    return null; // can never reach here
+
+    final long fileSize = iip.isSnapshot()
+        ? inode.computeFileSize(iip.getPathSnapshotId())
+        : inode.computeFileSizeNotIncludingLastUcBlock();
+    boolean isUc = inode.isUnderConstruction();
+    if (iip.isSnapshot()) {
+      // if src indicates a snapshot file, we need to make sure the returned
+      // blocks do not exceed the size of the snapshot file.
+      length = Math.min(length, fileSize - offset);
+      isUc = false;
+    }
+
+    final FileEncryptionInfo feInfo =
+        FSDirectory.isReservedRawName(srcArg) ? null
+            : dir.getFileEncryptionInfo(inode, iip.getPathSnapshotId(), iip);
+
+    final LocatedBlocks blocks = blockManager.createLocatedBlocks(
+        inode.getBlocks(), fileSize, isUc, offset, length, needBlockToken,
+        iip.isSnapshot(), feInfo);
+
+    // Set caching information for the located blocks.
+    for (LocatedBlock lb : blocks.getLocatedBlocks()) {
+      cacheManager.setCachedLocations(lb);
+    }
+
+    final long now = now();
+    boolean updateAccessTime = isAccessTimeSupported() && !isInSafeMode()
+        && !iip.isSnapshot()
+        && now > inode.getAccessTime() + getAccessTimePrecision();
+    return new GetBlockLocationsResult(updateAccessTime ? iip : null, blocks);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NamenodeFsck.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NamenodeFsck.java
index f82f0ea06a3..bab8f5e1b31 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NamenodeFsck.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NamenodeFsck.java
@@ -443,12 +443,15 @@ public class NamenodeFsck implements DataEncryptionKeyFactory {
     long fileLen = file.getLen();
     // Get block locations without updating the file access time 
     // and without block access tokens
-    LocatedBlocks blocks;
+    LocatedBlocks blocks = null;
+    FSNamesystem fsn = namenode.getNamesystem();
+    fsn.readLock();
     try {
-      blocks = namenode.getNamesystem().getBlockLocations(path, 0,
-          fileLen, false, false, false);
+      blocks = fsn.getBlockLocations(path, 0, fileLen, false, false).blocks;
     } catch (FileNotFoundException fnfe) {
       blocks = null;
+    } finally {
+      fsn.readUnlock();
     }
     if (blocks == null) { // the file is deleted
       return;
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/TestGetBlocks.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/TestGetBlocks.java
index 2af86bd6bb0..cc898527882 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/TestGetBlocks.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/TestGetBlocks.java
@@ -167,9 +167,7 @@ public class TestGetBlocks {
       if (stm != null) {
         stm.close();
       }
-      if (client != null) {
-        client.close();
-      }
+      client.close();
       cluster.shutdown();
     }
   }
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNodeAdapter.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNodeAdapter.java
index 61e7f145fb5..7aad37854ef 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNodeAdapter.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNodeAdapter.java
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ public class NameNodeAdapter {
    */
   public static LocatedBlocks getBlockLocations(NameNode namenode,
       String src, long offset, long length) throws IOException {
-    return namenode.getNamesystem().getBlockLocations(
-        src, offset, length, false, true, true);
+    return namenode.getNamesystem().getBlockLocations("foo",
+        src, offset, length);
   }
   
   public static HdfsFileStatus getFileInfo(NameNode namenode, String src,
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestFsck.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestFsck.java
index ef7de0d1c57..aecf55ef02e 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestFsck.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/TestFsck.java
@@ -996,9 +996,9 @@ public class TestFsck {
     DatanodeManager dnManager = mock(DatanodeManager.class);
     
     when(namenode.getNamesystem()).thenReturn(fsName);
-    when(fsName.getBlockLocations(anyString(), anyLong(), anyLong(),
-        anyBoolean(), anyBoolean(), anyBoolean())).
-        thenThrow(new FileNotFoundException()) ;
+    when(fsName.getBlockLocations(
+        anyString(), anyLong(), anyLong(), anyBoolean(), anyBoolean()))
+        .thenThrow(new FileNotFoundException());
     when(fsName.getBlockManager()).thenReturn(blockManager);
     when(blockManager.getDatanodeManager()).thenReturn(dnManager);