diff --git a/fs/nfsd/filecache.c b/fs/nfsd/filecache.c
index 024adcbe67e9..dceb522f5cee 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/filecache.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/filecache.c
@@ -1075,6 +1075,7 @@ retry:
 		goto open_file;
 
 	nfsd_file_slab_free(&nf->nf_rcu);
+	nf = NULL;
 	if (ret == -EEXIST)
 		goto retry;
 	trace_nfsd_file_insert_err(rqstp, key.inode, may_flags, ret);