diff --git a/fs/nfs/pnfs.c b/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
index 3f7d905d7528..90961dae4dc3 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/pnfs.c
@@ -1165,7 +1165,7 @@ pnfs_prepare_layoutreturn(struct pnfs_layout_hdr *lo,
 		enum pnfs_iomode *iomode)
 {
 	/* Serialise LAYOUTGET/LAYOUTRETURN */
-	if (atomic_read(&lo->plh_outstanding) != 0)
+	if (atomic_read(&lo->plh_outstanding) != 0 && lo->plh_return_seq == 0)
 		return false;
 	if (test_and_set_bit(NFS_LAYOUT_RETURN_LOCK, &lo->plh_flags))
 		return false;