diff --git a/fs/nfs/flexfilelayout/flexfilelayout.c b/fs/nfs/flexfilelayout/flexfilelayout.c
index 2c7e1eca1ed7..5657b7f2611f 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/flexfilelayout/flexfilelayout.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/flexfilelayout/flexfilelayout.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <linux/nfs_fs.h>
+#include <linux/nfs_mount.h>
 #include <linux/nfs_page.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/sched/mm.h>
@@ -928,7 +929,9 @@ ff_layout_pg_init_read(struct nfs_pageio_descriptor *pgio,
 	pgm = &pgio->pg_mirrors[0];
 	pgm->pg_bsize = mirror->mirror_ds->ds_versions[0].rsize;
 
-	pgio->pg_maxretrans = io_maxretrans;
+	if (NFS_SERVER(pgio->pg_inode)->flags &
+			(NFS_MOUNT_SOFT|NFS_MOUNT_SOFTERR))
+		pgio->pg_maxretrans = io_maxretrans;
 	return;
 out_nolseg:
 	if (pgio->pg_error < 0)
@@ -940,6 +943,7 @@ ff_layout_pg_init_read(struct nfs_pageio_descriptor *pgio,
 			pgio->pg_lseg);
 	pnfs_put_lseg(pgio->pg_lseg);
 	pgio->pg_lseg = NULL;
+	pgio->pg_maxretrans = 0;
 	nfs_pageio_reset_read_mds(pgio);
 }
 
@@ -1000,7 +1004,9 @@ ff_layout_pg_init_write(struct nfs_pageio_descriptor *pgio,
 		pgm->pg_bsize = mirror->mirror_ds->ds_versions[0].wsize;
 	}
 
-	pgio->pg_maxretrans = io_maxretrans;
+	if (NFS_SERVER(pgio->pg_inode)->flags &
+			(NFS_MOUNT_SOFT|NFS_MOUNT_SOFTERR))
+		pgio->pg_maxretrans = io_maxretrans;
 	return;
 
 out_mds:
@@ -1010,6 +1016,7 @@ ff_layout_pg_init_write(struct nfs_pageio_descriptor *pgio,
 			pgio->pg_lseg);
 	pnfs_put_lseg(pgio->pg_lseg);
 	pgio->pg_lseg = NULL;
+	pgio->pg_maxretrans = 0;
 	nfs_pageio_reset_write_mds(pgio);
 }