--- x/fs/namei.c
+++ y/fs/namei.c
@@ -3927,6 +3927,8 @@ int vfs_mkdir(struct user_namespace *mnt
 	if (error)
 		return error;
 
+	if (dir->i_nlink == 0 && !(dir->i_state & I_LINKABLE))
+		return -ENOENT;
 	if (max_links && dir->i_nlink >= max_links)
 		return -EMLINK;