diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
index eb9cf818002a..0874998a49cd 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
@@ -368,11 +368,8 @@ static struct nfs4_delegation *
 alloc_init_deleg(struct nfs4_client *clp, struct nfs4_ol_stateid *stp, struct svc_fh *current_fh)
 {
 	struct nfs4_delegation *dp;
-	struct nfs4_file *fp = stp->st_file;
 
 	dprintk("NFSD alloc_init_deleg\n");
-	if (fp->fi_had_conflict)
-		return NULL;
 	if (num_delegations > max_delegations)
 		return NULL;
 	dp = delegstateid(nfs4_alloc_stid(clp, deleg_slab));
@@ -389,8 +386,7 @@ alloc_init_deleg(struct nfs4_client *clp, struct nfs4_ol_stateid *stp, struct sv
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dp->dl_perfile);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dp->dl_perclnt);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dp->dl_recall_lru);
-	get_nfs4_file(fp);
-	dp->dl_file = fp;
+	dp->dl_file = NULL;
 	dp->dl_type = NFS4_OPEN_DELEGATE_READ;
 	fh_copy_shallow(&dp->dl_fh, &current_fh->fh_handle);
 	dp->dl_time = 0;
@@ -3044,22 +3040,35 @@ static int nfs4_setlease(struct nfs4_delegation *dp)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int nfs4_set_delegation(struct nfs4_delegation *dp)
+static int nfs4_set_delegation(struct nfs4_delegation *dp, struct nfs4_file *fp)
 {
-	struct nfs4_file *fp = dp->dl_file;
+	int status;
 
-	if (!fp->fi_lease)
-		return nfs4_setlease(dp);
+	if (fp->fi_had_conflict)
+		return -EAGAIN;
+	get_nfs4_file(fp);
+	dp->dl_file = fp;
+	if (!fp->fi_lease) {
+		status = nfs4_setlease(dp);
+		if (status)
+			goto out_free;
+		return 0;
+	}
 	spin_lock(&recall_lock);
 	if (fp->fi_had_conflict) {
 		spin_unlock(&recall_lock);
-		return -EAGAIN;
+		status = -EAGAIN;
+		goto out_free;
 	}
 	atomic_inc(&fp->fi_delegees);
 	list_add(&dp->dl_perfile, &fp->fi_delegations);
 	spin_unlock(&recall_lock);
 	list_add(&dp->dl_perclnt, &dp->dl_stid.sc_client->cl_delegations);
 	return 0;
+out_free:
+	put_nfs4_file(fp);
+	dp->dl_file = fp;
+	return status;
 }
 
 static void nfsd4_open_deleg_none_ext(struct nfsd4_open *open, int status)
@@ -3134,7 +3143,7 @@ nfs4_open_delegation(struct net *net, struct svc_fh *fh,
 	dp = alloc_init_deleg(oo->oo_owner.so_client, stp, fh);
 	if (dp == NULL)
 		goto out_no_deleg;
-	status = nfs4_set_delegation(dp);
+	status = nfs4_set_delegation(dp, stp->st_file);
 	if (status)
 		goto out_free;