--- x/fs/overlayfs/util.c
+++ y/fs/overlayfs/util.c
@@ -1159,9 +1159,8 @@ int ovl_nlink_start(struct dentry *dentr
 			return err;
 	}
 
-	err = ovl_inode_lock_interruptible(inode);
-	if (err)
-		return err;
+	if (!mutex_trylock(&OVL_I(inode)->lock))
+		return -EBUSY;
 
 	err = ovl_want_write(dentry);
 	if (err)