diff --git a/fs/open.c b/fs/open.c
index 33f9cbf2610b..ebcc7df0c9b6 100644
--- a/fs/open.c
+++ b/fs/open.c
@@ -988,9 +988,6 @@ struct file *file_open_root(struct dentry *dentry, struct vfsmount *mnt,
 		return ERR_PTR(err);
 	if (flags & O_CREAT)
 		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
-	if (!filename && (flags & O_DIRECTORY))
-		if (!dentry->d_inode->i_op->lookup)
-			return ERR_PTR(-ENOTDIR);
 	return do_file_open_root(dentry, mnt, filename, &op);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(file_open_root);