diff --git a/fs/nfs/pnfs.c b/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
index 5f2f852ef506..7b34534210ce 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
@@ -292,8 +292,11 @@ pnfs_detach_layout_hdr(struct pnfs_layout_hdr *lo)
 void
 pnfs_put_layout_hdr(struct pnfs_layout_hdr *lo)
 {
-	struct inode *inode = lo->plh_inode;
+	struct inode *inode;
 
+	if (!lo)
+		return;
+	inode = lo->plh_inode;
 	pnfs_layoutreturn_before_put_layout_hdr(lo);
 
 	if (atomic_dec_and_lock(&lo->plh_refcount, &inode->i_lock)) {
@@ -1223,10 +1226,12 @@ retry:
 	spin_lock(&ino->i_lock);
 	lo = nfsi->layout;
 	if (!lo || !pnfs_layout_is_valid(lo) ||
-	    test_bit(NFS_LAYOUT_BULK_RECALL, &lo->plh_flags))
+	    test_bit(NFS_LAYOUT_BULK_RECALL, &lo->plh_flags)) {
+		lo = NULL;
 		goto out_noroc;
+	}
+	pnfs_get_layout_hdr(lo);
 	if (test_bit(NFS_LAYOUT_RETURN_LOCK, &lo->plh_flags)) {
-		pnfs_get_layout_hdr(lo);
 		spin_unlock(&ino->i_lock);
 		wait_on_bit(&lo->plh_flags, NFS_LAYOUT_RETURN,
 				TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE);
@@ -1294,10 +1299,12 @@ out_noroc:
 		struct pnfs_layoutdriver_type *ld = NFS_SERVER(ino)->pnfs_curr_ld;
 		if (ld->prepare_layoutreturn)
 			ld->prepare_layoutreturn(args);
+		pnfs_put_layout_hdr(lo);
 		return true;
 	}
 	if (layoutreturn)
 		pnfs_send_layoutreturn(lo, &stateid, iomode, true);
+	pnfs_put_layout_hdr(lo);
 	return false;
 }