diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/read_write.c b/fs/ecryptfs/read_write.c
index 85d43096311625b37dd12beeeab7149a00899d0e..3745f7c2b9c214756b778ab40a00af325c0e9e99 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/read_write.c
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/read_write.c
@@ -39,15 +39,16 @@
 int ecryptfs_write_lower(struct inode *ecryptfs_inode, char *data,
 			 loff_t offset, size_t size)
 {
-	struct ecryptfs_inode_info *inode_info;
+	struct file *lower_file;
 	mm_segment_t fs_save;
 	ssize_t rc;
 
-	inode_info = ecryptfs_inode_to_private(ecryptfs_inode);
-	BUG_ON(!inode_info->lower_file);
+	lower_file = ecryptfs_inode_to_private(ecryptfs_inode)->lower_file;
+	if (!lower_file)
+		return -EIO;
 	fs_save = get_fs();
 	set_fs(get_ds());
-	rc = vfs_write(inode_info->lower_file, data, size, &offset);
+	rc = vfs_write(lower_file, data, size, &offset);
 	set_fs(fs_save);
 	mark_inode_dirty_sync(ecryptfs_inode);
 	return rc;
@@ -225,15 +226,16 @@ int ecryptfs_write(struct inode *ecryptfs_inode, char *data, loff_t offset,
 int ecryptfs_read_lower(char *data, loff_t offset, size_t size,
 			struct inode *ecryptfs_inode)
 {
-	struct ecryptfs_inode_info *inode_info =
-		ecryptfs_inode_to_private(ecryptfs_inode);
+	struct file *lower_file;
 	mm_segment_t fs_save;
 	ssize_t rc;
 
-	BUG_ON(!inode_info->lower_file);
+	lower_file = ecryptfs_inode_to_private(ecryptfs_inode)->lower_file;
+	if (!lower_file)
+		return -EIO;
 	fs_save = get_fs();
 	set_fs(get_ds());
-	rc = vfs_read(inode_info->lower_file, data, size, &offset);
+	rc = vfs_read(lower_file, data, size, &offset);
 	set_fs(fs_save);
 	return rc;
 }