diff --git a/fs/nfsd/filecache.c b/fs/nfsd/filecache.c
index 24e8f1fbcebb..2603183305b4 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/filecache.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/filecache.c
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ nfsd_file_cache_init(void)
 
 	ret = rhltable_init(&nfsd_file_rhltable, &nfsd_file_rhash_params);
 	if (ret)
-		return ret;
+		goto out;
 
 	ret = -ENOMEM;
 	nfsd_file_slab = KMEM_CACHE(nfsd_file, 0);
@@ -775,6 +775,8 @@ nfsd_file_cache_init(void)
 
 	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&nfsd_filecache_laundrette, nfsd_file_gc_worker);
 out:
+	if (ret)
+		clear_bit(NFSD_FILE_CACHE_UP, &nfsd_file_flags);
 	return ret;
 out_notifier:
 	lease_unregister_notifier(&nfsd_file_lease_notifier);