*/
        result = d_lookup(parent, name);
        if (!result) {
-               struct dentry * dentry = d_alloc(parent, name);
+               struct dentry *dentry;
+
+               /* Don't create child dentry for a dead directory. */
+               result = ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
+               if (IS_DEADDIR(dir))
+                       goto out_unlock;
+
+               dentry = d_alloc(parent, name);
                result = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
                if (dentry) {
                        result = dir->i_op->lookup(dir, dentry, nd);
                        else
                                result = dentry;
                }
+out_unlock:
                mutex_unlock(&dir->i_mutex);
                return result;
        }
 
        dentry = cached_lookup(base, name, nd);
        if (!dentry) {
-               struct dentry *new = d_alloc(base, name);
+               struct dentry *new;
+
+               /* Don't create child dentry for a dead directory. */
+               dentry = ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
+               if (IS_DEADDIR(inode))
+                       goto out;
+
+               new = d_alloc(base, name);
                dentry = ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
                if (!new)
                        goto out;