diff --git a/fs/ext4/extents.c b/fs/ext4/extents.c
index c92ef8735ba2..82df3ce9874a 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/extents.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/extents.c
@@ -2743,10 +2743,15 @@ ext4_ext_rm_leaf(handle_t *handle, struct inode *inode,
 		err = ext4_ext_correct_indexes(handle, inode, path);
 
 	/*
-	 * Free the partial cluster only if the current extent does not
-	 * reference it. Otherwise we might free used cluster.
+	 * If there's a partial cluster and at least one extent remains in
+	 * the leaf, free the partial cluster if it isn't shared with the
+	 * current extent.  If there's a partial cluster and no extents
+	 * remain in the leaf, it can't be freed here.  It can only be
+	 * freed when it's possible to determine if it's not shared with
+	 * any other extent - when the next leaf is processed or when space
+	 * removal is complete.
 	 */
-	if (*partial_cluster > 0 &&
+	if (*partial_cluster > 0 && eh->eh_entries &&
 	    (EXT4_B2C(sbi, ext4_ext_pblock(ex) + ex_ee_len - 1) !=
 	     *partial_cluster)) {
 		int flags = get_default_free_blocks_flags(inode);