diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 5512cb10fa89..9e5214dfd05d 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -4419,7 +4419,8 @@ int vfs_unlink(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *dir,
 			error = try_break_deleg(target, delegated_inode);
 			if (error)
 				goto out;
-			error = dir->i_op->unlink(dir, dentry);
+			if (dentry->d_inode->i_nlink)
+				error = dir->i_op->unlink(dir, dentry);
 			if (!error) {
 				dont_mount(dentry);
 				detach_mounts(dentry);