diff --git a/fs/cachefiles/namei.c b/fs/cachefiles/namei.c
index 8c01c5fcdf75..2256bc5b5fd6 100644
--- a/fs/cachefiles/namei.c
+++ b/fs/cachefiles/namei.c
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ try_again:
 	trap = lock_rename(cache->graveyard, dir);
 
 	/* do some checks before getting the grave dentry */
-	if (rep->d_parent != dir) {
+	if (rep->d_parent != dir || IS_DEADDIR(d_inode(rep))) {
 		/* the entry was probably culled when we dropped the parent dir
 		 * lock */
 		unlock_rename(cache->graveyard, dir);