diff --git a/ipc/util.c b/ipc/util.c
index cfa0045e748d5..0027e47626b7b 100644
--- a/ipc/util.c
+++ b/ipc/util.c
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
 #include <linux/memory.h>
 #include <linux/ipc_namespace.h>
 #include <linux/rhashtable.h>
+#include <linux/log2.h>
 
 #include <asm/unistd.h>
 
@@ -450,6 +451,41 @@ static void ipc_kht_remove(struct ipc_ids *ids, struct kern_ipc_perm *ipcp)
 				       ipc_kht_params);
 }
 
+/**
+ * ipc_search_maxidx - search for the highest assigned index
+ * @ids: ipc identifier set
+ * @limit: known upper limit for highest assigned index
+ *
+ * The function determines the highest assigned index in @ids. It is intended
+ * to be called when ids->max_idx needs to be updated.
+ * Updating ids->max_idx is necessary when the current highest index ipc
+ * object is deleted.
+ * If no ipc object is allocated, then -1 is returned.
+ *
+ * ipc_ids.rwsem needs to be held by the caller.
+ */
+static int ipc_search_maxidx(struct ipc_ids *ids, int limit)
+{
+	int tmpidx;
+	int i;
+	int retval;
+
+	i = ilog2(limit+1);
+
+	retval = 0;
+	for (; i >= 0; i--) {
+		tmpidx = retval | (1<<i);
+		/*
+		 * "0" is a possible index value, thus search using
+		 * e.g. 15,7,3,1,0 instead of 16,8,4,2,1.
+		 */
+		tmpidx = tmpidx-1;
+		if (idr_get_next(&ids->ipcs_idr, &tmpidx))
+			retval |= (1<<i);
+	}
+	return retval - 1;
+}
+
 /**
  * ipc_rmid - remove an ipc identifier
  * @ids: ipc identifier set
@@ -468,11 +504,9 @@ void ipc_rmid(struct ipc_ids *ids, struct kern_ipc_perm *ipcp)
 	ipcp->deleted = true;
 
 	if (unlikely(idx == ids->max_idx)) {
-		do {
-			idx--;
-			if (idx == -1)
-				break;
-		} while (!idr_find(&ids->ipcs_idr, idx));
+		idx = ids->max_idx-1;
+		if (idx >= 0)
+			idx = ipc_search_maxidx(ids, idx);
 		ids->max_idx = idx;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ipc/util.h b/ipc/util.h
index 5766c61aed0e5..2dd7ce0416d8e 100644
--- a/ipc/util.h
+++ b/ipc/util.h
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ int ipcperms(struct ipc_namespace *ns, struct kern_ipc_perm *ipcp, short flg);
  * ipc_get_maxidx - get the highest assigned index
  * @ids: ipc identifier set
  *
+ * The function returns the highest assigned index for @ids. The function
+ * doesn't scan the idr tree, it uses a cached value.
+ *
  * Called with ipc_ids.rwsem held for reading.
  */
 static inline int ipc_get_maxidx(struct ipc_ids *ids)