diff --git a/fs/nfs/dir.c b/fs/nfs/dir.c
index 6e55d9763a19..1276437b48de 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/dir.c
@@ -1782,12 +1782,17 @@ no_open:
 		if ((lookup_flags & LOOKUP_DIRECTORY) && inode &&
 		    !S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode))
 			res = ERR_PTR(-ENOTDIR);
+		else if (inode && S_ISREG(inode->i_mode))
+			res = ERR_PTR(-EOPENSTALE);
 	} else if (!IS_ERR(res)) {
 		inode = d_inode(res);
 		if ((lookup_flags & LOOKUP_DIRECTORY) && inode &&
 		    !S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode)) {
 			dput(res);
 			res = ERR_PTR(-ENOTDIR);
+		} else if (inode && S_ISREG(inode->i_mode)) {
+			dput(res);
+			res = ERR_PTR(-EOPENSTALE);
 		}
 	}
 	if (switched) {