diff --git a/include/linux/nfs_fs.h b/include/linux/nfs_fs.h
index e58b78da7a98..457b866a2d9e 100644
--- a/include/linux/nfs_fs.h
+++ b/include/linux/nfs_fs.h
@@ -573,7 +573,9 @@ bool nfs_commit_end(struct nfs_mds_commit_info *cinfo);
 static inline int
 nfs_have_writebacks(struct inode *inode)
 {
-	return atomic_long_read(&NFS_I(inode)->nrequests) != 0;
+	if (S_ISREG(inode->i_mode))
+		return atomic_long_read(&NFS_I(inode)->nrequests) != 0;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /*