--- x/fs/namei.c
+++ y/fs/namei.c
@@ -3927,8 +3927,14 @@ int vfs_mkdir(struct user_namespace *mnt
 	if (error)
 		return error;
 
-	if (max_links && dir->i_nlink >= max_links)
-		return -EMLINK;
+	inode_lock(dir);
+	if (dir->i_nlink == 0 && !(dir->i_state & I_LINKABLE))
+		error = -ENOENT;
+	else if (max_links && dir->i_nlink >= max_links)
+		error = -EMLINK;
+	inode_unlock(dir);
+	if (error)
+		return error;
 
 	error = dir->i_op->mkdir(mnt_userns, dir, dentry, mode);
 	if (!error)