diff --git a/fs/nfs/write.c b/fs/nfs/write.c
index 3c1e46f4bce3..01b9d9341b54 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/write.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/write.c
@@ -783,7 +783,6 @@ static void nfs_inode_remove_request(struct nfs_page *req)
 	struct nfs_inode *nfsi = NFS_I(inode);
 	struct nfs_page *head;
 
-	atomic_long_dec(&nfsi->nrequests);
 	if (nfs_page_group_sync_on_bit(req, PG_REMOVE)) {
 		head = req->wb_head;
 
@@ -796,8 +795,10 @@ static void nfs_inode_remove_request(struct nfs_page *req)
 		spin_unlock(&mapping->private_lock);
 	}
 
-	if (test_and_clear_bit(PG_INODE_REF, &req->wb_flags))
+	if (test_and_clear_bit(PG_INODE_REF, &req->wb_flags)) {
 		nfs_release_request(req);
+		atomic_long_dec(&nfsi->nrequests);
+	}
 }
 
 static void