diff --git a/fs/cifs/inode.c b/fs/cifs/inode.c
index 5e6bc8fa4e46..6045b4868275 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/inode.c
@@ -1791,6 +1791,7 @@ cifs_rename2(struct inode *source_dir, struct dentry *source_dentry,
 	FILE_UNIX_BASIC_INFO *info_buf_target;
 	unsigned int xid;
 	int rc, tmprc;
+	bool new_target = d_really_is_negative(target_dentry);
 
 	if (flags & ~RENAME_NOREPLACE)
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -1867,8 +1868,13 @@ cifs_rename2(struct inode *source_dir, struct dentry *source_dentry,
 	 */
 
 unlink_target:
-	/* Try unlinking the target dentry if it's not negative */
-	if (d_really_is_positive(target_dentry) && (rc == -EACCES || rc == -EEXIST)) {
+	/*
+	 * If the target dentry was created during the rename, try
+	 * unlinking it if it's not negative
+	 */
+	if (new_target &&
+	    d_really_is_positive(target_dentry) &&
+	    (rc == -EACCES || rc == -EEXIST)) {
 		if (d_is_dir(target_dentry))
 			tmprc = cifs_rmdir(target_dir, target_dentry);
 		else