diff --git a/net/9p/client.c b/net/9p/client.c
index 0bd7e43e5c4f..aaa37b07e30a 100644
--- a/net/9p/client.c
+++ b/net/9p/client.c
@@ -255,19 +255,35 @@ static struct kmem_cache *p9_req_cache;
  * p9_tag_alloc - Allocate a new request.
  * @c: Client session.
  * @type: Transaction type.
- * @t_size: Buffer size for holding this request.
- * @r_size: Buffer size for holding server's reply on this request.
+ * @t_size: Buffer size for holding this request
+ * (automatic calculation by format template if 0).
+ * @r_size: Buffer size for holding server's reply on this request
+ * (automatic calculation by format template if 0).
+ * @fmt: Format template for assembling 9p request message
+ * (see p9pdu_vwritef).
+ * @ap: Variable arguments to be fed to passed format template
+ * (see p9pdu_vwritef).
  *
  * Context: Process context.
  * Return: Pointer to new request.
  */
 static struct p9_req_t *
-p9_tag_alloc(struct p9_client *c, int8_t type, uint t_size, uint r_size)
+p9_tag_alloc(struct p9_client *c, int8_t type, uint t_size, uint r_size,
+	      const char *fmt, va_list ap)
 {
 	struct p9_req_t *req = kmem_cache_alloc(p9_req_cache, GFP_NOFS);
-	int alloc_tsize = min(c->msize, t_size);
-	int alloc_rsize = min(c->msize, r_size);
+	int alloc_tsize;
+	int alloc_rsize;
 	int tag;
+	va_list apc;
+
+	va_copy(apc, ap);
+	alloc_tsize = min_t(size_t, c->msize,
+			    t_size ?: p9_msg_buf_size(c, type, fmt, apc));
+	va_end(apc);
+
+	alloc_rsize = min_t(size_t, c->msize,
+			    r_size ?: p9_msg_buf_size(c, type + 1, fmt, ap));
 
 	if (!req)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
@@ -599,6 +615,7 @@ static struct p9_req_t *p9_client_prepare_req(struct p9_client *c,
 {
 	int err;
 	struct p9_req_t *req;
+	va_list apc;
 
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_MUX, "client %p op %d\n", c, type);
 
@@ -610,7 +627,9 @@ static struct p9_req_t *p9_client_prepare_req(struct p9_client *c,
 	if (c->status == BeginDisconnect && type != P9_TCLUNK)
 		return ERR_PTR(-EIO);
 
-	req = p9_tag_alloc(c, type, t_size, r_size);
+	va_copy(apc, ap);
+	req = p9_tag_alloc(c, type, t_size, r_size, fmt, apc);
+	va_end(apc);
 	if (IS_ERR(req))
 		return req;
 
@@ -645,9 +664,18 @@ p9_client_rpc(struct p9_client *c, int8_t type, const char *fmt, ...)
 	int sigpending, err;
 	unsigned long flags;
 	struct p9_req_t *req;
+	/* Passing zero for tsize/rsize to p9_client_prepare_req() tells it to
+	 * auto determine an appropriate (small) request/response size
+	 * according to actual message data being sent. Currently RDMA
+	 * transport is excluded from this response message size optimization,
+	 * as it would not cope with it, due to its pooled response buffers
+	 * (using an optimized request size for RDMA as well though).
+	 */
+	const uint tsize = 0;
+	const uint rsize = c->trans_mod->pooled_rbuffers ? c->msize : 0;
 
 	va_start(ap, fmt);
-	req = p9_client_prepare_req(c, type, c->msize, c->msize, fmt, ap);
+	req = p9_client_prepare_req(c, type, tsize, rsize, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 	if (IS_ERR(req))
 		return req;