diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 01e67dd..3b26a24 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -519,7 +519,14 @@
 	 */
 	result = d_lookup(parent, name);
 	if (!result) {
-		struct dentry * dentry = d_alloc(parent, name);
+		struct dentry *dentry;
+
+		/* Don't create child dentry for a dead directory. */
+		result = ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
+		if (IS_DEADDIR(dir))
+			goto out_unlock;
+
+		dentry = d_alloc(parent, name);
 		result = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 		if (dentry) {
 			result = dir->i_op->lookup(dir, dentry, nd);
@@ -528,6 +535,7 @@
 			else
 				result = dentry;
 		}
+out_unlock:
 		mutex_unlock(&dir->i_mutex);
 		return result;
 	}
@@ -1317,7 +1325,14 @@
 
 	dentry = cached_lookup(base, name, nd);
 	if (!dentry) {
-		struct dentry *new = d_alloc(base, name);
+		struct dentry *new;
+
+		/* Don't create child dentry for a dead directory. */
+		dentry = ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
+		if (IS_DEADDIR(inode))
+			goto out;
+
+		new = d_alloc(base, name);
 		dentry = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 		if (!new)
 			goto out;