diff --git a/fs/nfs/filelayout/filelayoutdev.c b/fs/nfs/filelayout/filelayoutdev.c
index 4946ef40ba87..85ef38f9765f 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/filelayout/filelayoutdev.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/filelayout/filelayoutdev.c
@@ -283,7 +283,8 @@ nfs4_fl_prepare_ds(struct pnfs_layout_segment *lseg, u32 ds_idx)
 			     s->nfs_client->cl_rpcclient->cl_auth->au_flavor);
 
 out_test_devid:
-	if (filelayout_test_devid_unavailable(devid))
+	if (ret->ds_clp == NULL ||
+	    filelayout_test_devid_unavailable(devid))
 		ret = NULL;
 out:
 	return ret;