diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
index dfa2aa91fcacc407611dc086887dd9259ff491fd..35ff565ed9a759498d26e3f0606902d48690c61c 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
@@ -4274,10 +4274,16 @@ nfsd4_setclientid_confirm(struct svc_rqst *rqstp,
 	}
 	status = nfs_ok;
 	if (conf) {
-		old = unconf;
-		unhash_client_locked(old);
-		nfsd4_change_callback(conf, &unconf->cl_cb_conn);
-	} else {
+		if (get_client_locked(conf) == nfs_ok) {
+			old = unconf;
+			unhash_client_locked(old);
+			nfsd4_change_callback(conf, &unconf->cl_cb_conn);
+		} else {
+			conf = NULL;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (!conf) {
 		old = find_confirmed_client_by_name(&unconf->cl_name, nn);
 		if (old) {
 			status = nfserr_clid_inuse;
@@ -4294,10 +4300,14 @@ nfsd4_setclientid_confirm(struct svc_rqst *rqstp,
 			}
 			trace_nfsd_clid_replaced(&old->cl_clientid);
 		}
+		status = get_client_locked(unconf);
+		if (status != nfs_ok) {
+			old = NULL;
+			goto out;
+		}
 		move_to_confirmed(unconf);
 		conf = unconf;
 	}
-	get_client_locked(conf);
 	spin_unlock(&nn->client_lock);
 	if (conf == unconf)
 		fsnotify_dentry(conf->cl_nfsd_info_dentry, FS_MODIFY);