diff --git a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
index 5a7fee4ee207..95f2e4549c03 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
@@ -299,6 +299,10 @@ commit_metadata(struct svc_fh *fhp)
 static void
 nfsd_sanitize_attrs(struct inode *inode, struct iattr *iap)
 {
+	/* Ignore mode updates on symlinks */
+	if (S_ISLNK(inode->i_mode))
+		iap->ia_valid &= ~ATTR_MODE;
+
 	/* sanitize the mode change */
 	if (iap->ia_valid & ATTR_MODE) {
 		iap->ia_mode &= S_IALLUGO;
@@ -366,7 +370,7 @@ nfsd_setattr(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp,
 	int		accmode = NFSD_MAY_SATTR;
 	umode_t		ftype = 0;
 	__be32		err;
-	int		host_err;
+	int		host_err = 0;
 	bool		get_write_count;
 	bool		size_change = (iap->ia_valid & ATTR_SIZE);
 
@@ -404,13 +408,6 @@ nfsd_setattr(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp,
 	dentry = fhp->fh_dentry;
 	inode = d_inode(dentry);
 
-	/* Ignore any mode updates on symlinks */
-	if (S_ISLNK(inode->i_mode))
-		iap->ia_valid &= ~ATTR_MODE;
-
-	if (!iap->ia_valid)
-		return 0;
-
 	nfsd_sanitize_attrs(inode, iap);
 
 	if (check_guard && guardtime != inode->i_ctime.tv_sec)
@@ -461,8 +458,10 @@ nfsd_setattr(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp,
 			goto out_unlock;
 	}
 
-	iap->ia_valid |= ATTR_CTIME;
-	host_err = notify_change(dentry, iap, NULL);
+	if (iap->ia_valid) {
+		iap->ia_valid |= ATTR_CTIME;
+		host_err = notify_change(dentry, iap, NULL);
+	}
 
 out_unlock:
 	if (attr->na_seclabel && attr->na_seclabel->len)