diff --git a/fs/reiserfs/inode.c b/fs/reiserfs/inode.c
index 1509775da040..e3af44c61524 100644
--- a/fs/reiserfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/reiserfs/inode.c
@@ -2163,7 +2163,8 @@ int reiserfs_new_inode(struct reiserfs_transaction_handle *th,
 out_inserted_sd:
 	clear_nlink(inode);
 	th->t_trans_id = 0;	/* so the caller can't use this handle later */
-	unlock_new_inode(inode); /* OK to do even if we hadn't locked it */
+	if (inode->i_state & I_NEW)
+		unlock_new_inode(inode);
 	iput(inode);
 	return err;
 }