diff --git a/include/linux/jbd2.h b/include/linux/jbd2.h
index 603fbc4e2f70..10e6049c0ba9 100644
--- a/include/linux/jbd2.h
+++ b/include/linux/jbd2.h
@@ -1582,7 +1582,7 @@ static inline int jbd2_space_needed(journal_t *journal)
 static inline unsigned long jbd2_log_space_left(journal_t *journal)
 {
 	/* Allow for rounding errors */
-	unsigned long free = journal->j_free - 32;
+	long free = journal->j_free - 32;
 
 	if (journal->j_committing_transaction) {
 		unsigned long committing = atomic_read(&journal->
@@ -1591,7 +1591,7 @@ static inline unsigned long jbd2_log_space_left(journal_t *journal)
 		/* Transaction + control blocks */
 		free -= committing + (committing >> JBD2_CONTROL_BLOCKS_SHIFT);
 	}
-	return free;
+	return max_t(long, free, 0);
 }
 
 /*