diff --git a/fs/gfs2/super.c b/fs/gfs2/super.c
index 5cb7e771b57a..e01b6a2d12d3 100644
--- a/fs/gfs2/super.c
+++ b/fs/gfs2/super.c
@@ -1416,6 +1416,14 @@ static void gfs2_evict_inode(struct inode *inode)
 	if (inode->i_nlink || sb_rdonly(sb))
 		goto out;
 
+	/*
+	 * In case of an incomplete mount, gfs2_evict_inode() may be called for
+	 * system files without having an active journal to write to.  In that
+	 * case, skip the filesystem evict.
+	 */
+	if (!sdp->sd_jdesc)
+		goto out;
+
 	gfs2_holder_mark_uninitialized(&gh);
 	ret = evict_should_delete(inode, &gh);
 	if (ret == SHOULD_DEFER_EVICTION)