diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs4proc.c b/fs/nfs/nfs4proc.c
index 18d862db15b6..0065bbdc53c3 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs4proc.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs4proc.c
@@ -7795,6 +7795,15 @@ static void nfs4_layoutget_done(struct rpc_task *task, void *calldata)
 	switch (task->tk_status) {
 	case 0:
 		goto out;
+
+	/*
+	 * NFS4ERR_LAYOUTUNAVAILABLE means we are not supposed to use pnfs
+	 * on the file. set tk_status to -ENODATA to tell upper layer to
+	 * retry go inband.
+	 */
+	case -NFS4ERR_LAYOUTUNAVAILABLE:
+		task->tk_status = -ENODATA;
+		goto out;
 	/*
 	 * NFS4ERR_BADLAYOUT means the MDS cannot return a layout of
 	 * length lgp->args.minlength != 0 (see RFC5661 section 18.43.3).