diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/namei.c b/fs/overlayfs/namei.c
index 1687a770ff3955653e512f940527d47f1902be36..f9640d27ddab6cd813075b2bd9037f4ea1ba85a8 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/namei.c
@@ -901,15 +901,6 @@ struct dentry *ovl_lookup(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 			goto out_put;
 		}
 
-		/*
-		 * Do not store intermediate metacopy dentries in chain,
-		 * except top most lower metacopy dentry
-		 */
-		if (d.metacopy && ctr) {
-			dput(this);
-			continue;
-		}
-
 		/*
 		 * If no origin fh is stored in upper of a merge dir, store fh
 		 * of lower dir and set upper parent "impure".
@@ -944,9 +935,20 @@ struct dentry *ovl_lookup(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 			origin = this;
 		}
 
-		stack[ctr].dentry = this;
-		stack[ctr].layer = lower.layer;
-		ctr++;
+		if (d.metacopy && ctr) {
+			/*
+			 * Do not store intermediate metacopy dentries in
+			 * lower chain, except top most lower metacopy dentry.
+			 * Continue the loop so that if there is an absolute
+			 * redirect on this dentry, poe can be reset to roe.
+			 */
+			dput(this);
+			this = NULL;
+		} else {
+			stack[ctr].dentry = this;
+			stack[ctr].layer = lower.layer;
+			ctr++;
+		}
 
 		/*
 		 * Following redirects can have security consequences: it's like