diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfs4recover.c b/fs/nfsd/nfs4recover.c
index 81b8565d3837..c7774e3a9469 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfs4recover.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfs4recover.c
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ nfsd4_remove_clid_file(struct dentry *dir, struct dentry *dentry)
 		printk("nfsd4: non-file found in client recovery directory\n");
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
-	mutex_lock(&dir->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	mutex_lock_nested(&dir->d_inode->i_mutex, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 	status = vfs_unlink(dir->d_inode, dentry);
 	mutex_unlock(&dir->d_inode->i_mutex);
 	return status;