diff --git a/fs/exfat/namei.c b/fs/exfat/namei.c
index 97d2774760fe..c356bde623bf 100644
--- a/fs/exfat/namei.c
+++ b/fs/exfat/namei.c
@@ -329,10 +329,7 @@ static int exfat_find_empty_entry(struct inode *inode,
 			EXFAT_B_TO_CLU(i_size_read(inode), sbi), ei->flags);
 
 	while ((dentry = exfat_search_empty_slot(sb, &hint_femp, p_dir,
-					num_entries, es)) < 0) {
-		if (dentry == -EIO)
-			break;
-
+					num_entries, es)) == -ENOSPC) {
 		if (exfat_check_max_dentries(inode))
 			return -ENOSPC;
 
@@ -395,6 +392,9 @@ 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;