diff --git a/fs/ext4/xattr.c b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
index 107b2088e005..099a87ec9b2a 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
@@ -1422,6 +1422,13 @@ static struct inode *ext4_xattr_inode_create(handle_t *handle,
 	uid_t owner[2] = { i_uid_read(inode), i_gid_read(inode) };
 	int err;
 
+	if (inode->i_sb->s_root == NULL) {
+		ext4_warning(inode->i_sb,
+			     "refuse to create EA inode when umounting");
+		WARN_ON(1);
+		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Let the next inode be the goal, so we try and allocate the EA inode
 	 * in the same group, or nearby one.