diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/alloc.c b/fs/nilfs2/alloc.c
index 279d945d4ebe..2dc5fae6a6ee 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/alloc.c
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/alloc.c
@@ -377,11 +377,12 @@ void *nilfs_palloc_block_get_entry(const struct inode *inode, __u64 nr,
  * @target: offset number of an entry in the group (start point)
  * @bsize: size in bits
  * @lock: spin lock protecting @bitmap
+ * @wrap: whether to wrap around
  */
 static int nilfs_palloc_find_available_slot(unsigned char *bitmap,
 					    unsigned long target,
 					    unsigned int bsize,
-					    spinlock_t *lock)
+					    spinlock_t *lock, bool wrap)
 {
 	int pos, end = bsize;
 
@@ -397,6 +398,8 @@ static int nilfs_palloc_find_available_slot(unsigned char *bitmap,
 
 		end = target;
 	}
+	if (!wrap)
+		return -ENOSPC;
 
 	/* wrap around */
 	for (pos = 0; pos < end; pos++) {
@@ -495,9 +498,10 @@ int nilfs_palloc_count_max_entries(struct inode *inode, u64 nused, u64 *nmaxp)
  * nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry - prepare to allocate a persistent object
  * @inode: inode of metadata file using this allocator
  * @req: nilfs_palloc_req structure exchanged for the allocation
+ * @wrap: whether to wrap around
  */
 int nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(struct inode *inode,
-				     struct nilfs_palloc_req *req)
+				     struct nilfs_palloc_req *req, bool wrap)
 {
 	struct buffer_head *desc_bh, *bitmap_bh;
 	struct nilfs_palloc_group_desc *desc;
@@ -516,7 +520,7 @@ int nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(struct inode *inode,
 	entries_per_group = nilfs_palloc_entries_per_group(inode);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ngroups; i += n) {
-		if (group >= ngroups) {
+		if (group >= ngroups && wrap) {
 			/* wrap around */
 			group = 0;
 			maxgroup = nilfs_palloc_group(inode, req->pr_entry_nr,
@@ -541,7 +545,13 @@ int nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(struct inode *inode,
 				bitmap = bitmap_kaddr + bh_offset(bitmap_bh);
 				pos = nilfs_palloc_find_available_slot(
 					bitmap, group_offset,
-					entries_per_group, lock);
+					entries_per_group, lock, wrap);
+				/*
+				 * Since the search for a free slot in the
+				 * second and subsequent bitmap blocks always
+				 * starts from the beginning, the wrap flag
+				 * only has an effect on the first search.
+				 */
 				if (pos >= 0) {
 					/* found a free entry */
 					nilfs_palloc_group_desc_add_entries(
diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/alloc.h b/fs/nilfs2/alloc.h
index 0303c3968cee..071fc620264e 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/alloc.h
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/alloc.h
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ struct nilfs_palloc_req {
 	struct buffer_head *pr_entry_bh;
 };
 
-int nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(struct inode *,
-				     struct nilfs_palloc_req *);
+int nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(struct inode *inode,
+				     struct nilfs_palloc_req *req, bool wrap);
 void nilfs_palloc_commit_alloc_entry(struct inode *,
 				     struct nilfs_palloc_req *);
 void nilfs_palloc_abort_alloc_entry(struct inode *, struct nilfs_palloc_req *);
diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/dat.c b/fs/nilfs2/dat.c
index c47e1f6f23a8..b333a6b15d52 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/dat.c
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/dat.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ int nilfs_dat_prepare_alloc(struct inode *dat, struct nilfs_palloc_req *req)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(dat, req);
+	ret = nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(dat, req, true);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
 
diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/ifile.c b/fs/nilfs2/ifile.c
index 02727ed3a7c6..9ee8d006f1a2 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/ifile.c
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/ifile.c
@@ -55,13 +55,10 @@ int nilfs_ifile_create_inode(struct inode *ifile, ino_t *out_ino,
 	struct nilfs_palloc_req req;
 	int ret;
 
-	req.pr_entry_nr = 0;  /*
-			       * 0 says find free inode from beginning
-			       * of a group. dull code!!
-			       */
+	req.pr_entry_nr = NILFS_FIRST_INO(ifile->i_sb);
 	req.pr_entry_bh = NULL;
 
-	ret = nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(ifile, &req);
+	ret = nilfs_palloc_prepare_alloc_entry(ifile, &req, false);
 	if (!ret) {
 		ret = nilfs_palloc_get_entry_block(ifile, req.pr_entry_nr, 1,
 						   &req.pr_entry_bh);