diff --git a/fs/ext4/file.c b/fs/ext4/file.c
index 8d2bbcc2d813..fd7ce3573a00 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/file.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/file.c
@@ -40,9 +40,10 @@ static ssize_t ext4_dax_read_iter(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *to)
 	struct inode *inode = file_inode(iocb->ki_filp);
 	ssize_t ret;
 
-	if (!inode_trylock_shared(inode)) {
-		if (iocb->ki_flags & IOCB_NOWAIT)
+	if (iocb->ki_flags & IOCB_NOWAIT) {
+		if (!inode_trylock_shared(inode))
 			return -EAGAIN;
+	} else {
 		inode_lock_shared(inode);
 	}
 	/*
@@ -190,9 +191,10 @@ ext4_dax_write_iter(struct kiocb *iocb, struct iov_iter *from)
 	struct inode *inode = file_inode(iocb->ki_filp);
 	ssize_t ret;
 
-	if (!inode_trylock(inode)) {
-		if (iocb->ki_flags & IOCB_NOWAIT)
+	if (iocb->ki_flags & IOCB_NOWAIT) {
+		if (!inode_trylock(inode))
 			return -EAGAIN;
+	} else {
 		inode_lock(inode);
 	}
 	ret = ext4_write_checks(iocb, from);