diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/inode.c b/fs/ecryptfs/inode.c
index 4d4cc6a90cd57f18b330674f8e5320205cc2a5e6..94ab3c06317a87283094b18f06ab466064ac8817 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/inode.c
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/inode.c
@@ -527,6 +527,8 @@ static int ecryptfs_rmdir(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry)
 	dget(lower_dentry);
 	rc = vfs_rmdir(lower_dir_dentry->d_inode, lower_dentry);
 	dput(lower_dentry);
+	if (!rc && dentry->d_inode)
+		clear_nlink(dentry->d_inode);
 	fsstack_copy_attr_times(dir, lower_dir_dentry->d_inode);
 	dir->i_nlink = lower_dir_dentry->d_inode->i_nlink;
 	unlock_dir(lower_dir_dentry);