diff --git a/fs/reiserfs/xattr.c b/fs/reiserfs/xattr.c
index 28b241cd6987..fe63a7c3e0da 100644
--- a/fs/reiserfs/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/reiserfs/xattr.c
@@ -674,6 +674,13 @@ reiserfs_xattr_get(struct inode *inode, const char *name, void *buffer,
 	if (get_inode_sd_version(inode) == STAT_DATA_V1)
 		return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
+	/*
+	 * priv_root needn't be initialized during mount so allow initial
+	 * lookups to succeed.
+	 */
+	if (!REISERFS_SB(inode->i_sb)->priv_root)
+		return 0;
+
 	dentry = xattr_lookup(inode, name, XATTR_REPLACE);
 	if (IS_ERR(dentry)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(dentry);