diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfsfh.c b/fs/nfsd/nfsfh.c
index ca96ede30a10..ecc439d2565f 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfsfh.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfsfh.c
@@ -187,13 +187,6 @@ fh_verify(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp, int type, int access)
 			goto out;
 		}
 
-		/* Set user creds for this exportpoint */
-		error = nfsd_setuser(rqstp, exp);
-		if (error) {
-			error = nfserrno(error);
-			goto out;
-		}
-
 		/*
 		 * Look up the dentry using the NFS file handle.
 		 */
@@ -251,6 +244,14 @@ fh_verify(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp, int type, int access)
 	}
 	cache_get(&exp->h);
 
+	/* Set user creds for this exportpoint; necessary even in the "just
+	 * checking" case because this may be a filehandle that was created by
+	 * fh_compose, and that is about to be used in another nfsv4 compound
+	 * operation */
+	error = nfserrno(nfsd_setuser(rqstp, exp));
+	if (error)
+		goto out;
+
 	error = nfsd_mode_check(rqstp, dentry->d_inode->i_mode, type);
 	if (error)
 		goto out;