diff --git a/fs/nfs/namespace.c b/fs/nfs/namespace.c
index d398775a3af57503aa3ecf6bbaa3db4d0cfd0ba7..64a288ee046d027692f1dc395792609cfe1760aa 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/namespace.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/namespace.c
@@ -105,7 +105,10 @@ static void * nfs_follow_mountpoint(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 
 	dprintk("--> nfs_follow_mountpoint()\n");
 
-	BUG_ON(IS_ROOT(dentry));
+	err = -ESTALE;
+	if (IS_ROOT(dentry))
+		goto out_err;
+
 	dprintk("%s: enter\n", __func__);
 	dput(nd->path.dentry);
 	nd->path.dentry = dget(dentry);