diff --git a/fs/nfs/direct.c b/fs/nfs/direct.c
index 064a80961677..84d3c8b90206 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/direct.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/direct.c
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@ static ssize_t nfs_direct_write(struct kiocb *iocb, const struct iovec *iov,
 	dreq->inode = inode;
 	dreq->ctx = get_nfs_open_context(nfs_file_open_context(iocb->ki_filp));
 	dreq->l_ctx = nfs_get_lock_context(dreq->ctx);
-	if (dreq->l_ctx != NULL)
+	if (dreq->l_ctx == NULL)
 		goto out_release;
 	if (!is_sync_kiocb(iocb))
 		dreq->iocb = iocb;