diff --git a/fs/cifs/file.c b/fs/cifs/file.c
index ead2473f6839bcfbf86ab1831e8e20d3876645f0..381e60e6ef923adc0f97bb0fadadf1f1f0af1554 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/file.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/file.c
@@ -1821,6 +1821,7 @@ struct cifsFileInfo *find_writable_file(struct cifsInodeInfo *cifs_inode,
 			cifsFileInfo_put(inv_file);
 			spin_lock(&cifs_file_list_lock);
 			++refind;
+			inv_file = NULL;
 			goto refind_writable;
 		}
 	}