diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c b/fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c
index de7bc8f7c106..aa04a6a98bd5 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c
@@ -3473,6 +3473,9 @@ nfsd4_encode_test_stateid(struct nfsd4_compoundres *resp, __be32 nfserr,
 	struct nfsd4_test_stateid_id *stateid, *next;
 	__be32 *p;
 
+	if (nfserr)
+		return nfserr;
+
 	RESERVE_SPACE(4 + (4 * test_stateid->ts_num_ids));
 	*p++ = htonl(test_stateid->ts_num_ids);