diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/ptlrpc/nrs.c b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/ptlrpc/nrs.c
index d88faf61e740..f8566324f258 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/ptlrpc/nrs.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/ptlrpc/nrs.c
@@ -619,6 +619,15 @@ static int nrs_policy_ctl(struct ptlrpc_nrs *nrs, char *name,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Wait for the policy to be fully started before attempting
+	 * to operate it.
+	 */
+	if (policy->pol_state == NRS_POL_STATE_STARTING) {
+		rc = -EAGAIN;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	switch (opc) {
 		/**
 		 * Unknown opcode, pass it down to the policy-specific control