diff --git a/fs/ext3/dir.c b/fs/ext3/dir.c
index 373fa90c796a0821c23cd441c0a238a1a52cfb69..e2e72c367cf671e0d13abf0015225d7162709d54 100644
--- a/fs/ext3/dir.c
+++ b/fs/ext3/dir.c
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ static void free_rb_tree_fname(struct rb_root *root)
 			kfree (old);
 		}
 		if (!parent)
-			root->rb_node = NULL;
+			*root = RB_ROOT;
 		else if (parent->rb_left == n)
 			parent->rb_left = NULL;
 		else if (parent->rb_right == n)