diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/namei.c b/fs/nilfs2/namei.c
index 185d160..6e9557e 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/namei.c
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/namei.c
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
 
 	inode->i_ctime = CURRENT_TIME;
 	inode_inc_link_count(inode);
-	atomic_inc(&inode->i_count);
+	ihold(inode);
 
 	err = nilfs_add_nondir(dentry, inode);
 	if (!err)