diff --git a/fs/exfat/namei.c b/fs/exfat/namei.c
index ca616f2f2c8a..41d5090b237b 100644
--- a/fs/exfat/namei.c
+++ b/fs/exfat/namei.c
@@ -395,6 +395,9 @@ static int exfat_find_empty_entry(struct inode *inode,
 		inode->i_blocks += sbi->cluster_size >> 9;
 	}
 
+	if (dentry < 0)
+		return dentry;
+
 	p_dir->dir = exfat_sector_to_cluster(sbi, es->bh[0]->b_blocknr);
 	p_dir->size -= dentry / sbi->dentries_per_clu;