diff --git a/fs/nfs/dir.c b/fs/nfs/dir.c
index ab69ebb48350..98b18aaf45c9 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/dir.c
@@ -1115,11 +1115,13 @@ static int nfs_lookup_revalidate(struct dentry *dentry, unsigned int flags)
 	/* Force a full look up iff the parent directory has changed */
 	if (!nfs_is_exclusive_create(dir, flags) &&
 	    nfs_check_verifier(dir, dentry, flags & LOOKUP_RCU)) {
-
-		if (nfs_lookup_verify_inode(inode, flags)) {
+		error = nfs_lookup_verify_inode(inode, flags);
+		if (error) {
 			if (flags & LOOKUP_RCU)
 				return -ECHILD;
-			goto out_zap_parent;
+			if (error == -ESTALE)
+				goto out_zap_parent;
+			goto out_error;
 		}
 		nfs_advise_use_readdirplus(dir);
 		goto out_valid;
@@ -1144,8 +1146,10 @@ static int nfs_lookup_revalidate(struct dentry *dentry, unsigned int flags)
 	trace_nfs_lookup_revalidate_enter(dir, dentry, flags);
 	error = NFS_PROTO(dir)->lookup(dir, &dentry->d_name, fhandle, fattr, label);
 	trace_nfs_lookup_revalidate_exit(dir, dentry, flags, error);
-	if (error)
+	if (error == -ESTALE || error == -ENOENT)
 		goto out_bad;
+	if (error)
+		goto out_error;
 	if (nfs_compare_fh(NFS_FH(inode), fhandle))
 		goto out_bad;
 	if ((error = nfs_refresh_inode(inode, fattr)) != 0)
diff --git a/fs/nfs/inode.c b/fs/nfs/inode.c
index 1de93ba78dc9..8c465d3c7e05 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/inode.c
@@ -1315,9 +1315,9 @@ static int nfs_check_inode_attributes(struct inode *inode, struct nfs_fattr *fat
 		return 0;
 	/* Has the inode gone and changed behind our back? */
 	if ((fattr->valid & NFS_ATTR_FATTR_FILEID) && nfsi->fileid != fattr->fileid)
-		return -EIO;
+		return -ESTALE;
 	if ((fattr->valid & NFS_ATTR_FATTR_TYPE) && (inode->i_mode & S_IFMT) != (fattr->mode & S_IFMT))
-		return -EIO;
+		return -ESTALE;
 
 	if (!nfs_file_has_buffered_writers(nfsi)) {
 		/* Verify a few of the more important attributes */