diff --git a/fs/nfs/dir.c b/fs/nfs/dir.c
index 72f50c0117b1..eb50c19fc253 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/dir.c
@@ -1511,9 +1511,11 @@ static int nfs_rename(struct inode *old_dir, struct dentry *old_dentry,
 	 */
 	if (!new_inode)
 		goto go_ahead;
-	if (S_ISDIR(new_inode->i_mode))
-		goto out;
-	else if (atomic_read(&new_dentry->d_count) > 2) {
+	if (S_ISDIR(new_inode->i_mode)) {
+		error = -EISDIR;
+		if (!S_ISDIR(old_inode->i_mode))
+			goto out;
+	} else if (atomic_read(&new_dentry->d_count) > 2) {
 		int err;
 		/* copy the target dentry's name */
 		dentry = d_alloc(new_dentry->d_parent,