diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/inode.c b/fs/nilfs2/inode.c
index 042f4512e47d..3a3cdc370647 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/inode.c
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/inode.c
@@ -1103,9 +1103,17 @@ int nilfs_set_file_dirty(struct inode *inode, unsigned int nr_dirty)
 
 int __nilfs_mark_inode_dirty(struct inode *inode, int flags)
 {
+	struct the_nilfs *nilfs = inode->i_sb->s_fs_info;
 	struct buffer_head *ibh;
 	int err;
 
+	/*
+	 * Do not dirty inodes after the log writer has been detached
+	 * and its nilfs_root struct has been freed.
+	 */
+	if (unlikely(nilfs_purging(nilfs)))
+		return 0;
+
 	err = nilfs_load_inode_block(inode, &ibh);
 	if (unlikely(err)) {
 		nilfs_warn(inode->i_sb,
diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/segment.c b/fs/nilfs2/segment.c
index 4a910c8a5691..e4686e30b1a7 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/segment.c
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/segment.c
@@ -2850,6 +2850,7 @@ void nilfs_detach_log_writer(struct super_block *sb)
 		nilfs_segctor_destroy(nilfs->ns_writer);
 		nilfs->ns_writer = NULL;
 	}
+	set_nilfs_purging(nilfs);
 
 	/* Force to free the list of dirty files */
 	spin_lock(&nilfs->ns_inode_lock);
@@ -2862,4 +2863,5 @@ void nilfs_detach_log_writer(struct super_block *sb)
 	up_write(&nilfs->ns_segctor_sem);
 
 	nilfs_dispose_list(nilfs, &garbage_list, 1);
+	clear_nilfs_purging(nilfs);
 }
diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/the_nilfs.h b/fs/nilfs2/the_nilfs.h
index b55cdeb4d169..01914089e76d 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/the_nilfs.h
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/the_nilfs.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ enum {
 	THE_NILFS_DISCONTINUED,	/* 'next' pointer chain has broken */
 	THE_NILFS_GC_RUNNING,	/* gc process is running */
 	THE_NILFS_SB_DIRTY,	/* super block is dirty */
+	THE_NILFS_PURGING,	/* disposing dirty files for cleanup */
 };
 
 /**
@@ -208,6 +209,7 @@ THE_NILFS_FNS(INIT, init)
 THE_NILFS_FNS(DISCONTINUED, discontinued)
 THE_NILFS_FNS(GC_RUNNING, gc_running)
 THE_NILFS_FNS(SB_DIRTY, sb_dirty)
+THE_NILFS_FNS(PURGING, purging)
 
 /*
  * Mount option operations