--- a/fs/mini_fo/meta.c
+++ b/fs/mini_fo/meta.c
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ int meta_build_lists(dentry_t *dentry)
 					     dtohd2(dentry),
 					     strlen(META_FILENAME));
 		mutex_unlock(&dtohd2(dentry)->d_inode->i_mutex);
+		if (IS_ERR(meta_dentry))
+			goto out_ok;
+
 		if(!meta_dentry->d_inode) {
 			dput(meta_dentry);
 			goto out_ok;
@@ -433,6 +436,8 @@ int meta_write_d_entry(dentry_t *dentry,
 	meta_dentry = lookup_one_len(META_FILENAME,
 				     dtohd2(dentry), strlen (META_FILENAME));
 	mutex_unlock(&dtohd2(dentry)->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	if (IS_ERR(meta_dentry))
+		return PTR_ERR(meta_dentry);
 
 	/* We need to create a META-file */
         if(!meta_dentry->d_inode) {
@@ -538,6 +543,8 @@ int meta_write_r_entry(dentry_t *dentry,
 				     dtohd2(dentry),
 				     strlen (META_FILENAME));
 	mutex_unlock(&dtohd2(dentry)->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	if (IS_ERR(meta_dentry))
+		return PTR_ERR(meta_dentry);
 
         if(!meta_dentry->d_inode) {
                 /* We need to create a META-file */
@@ -656,6 +663,8 @@ int meta_sync_d_list(dentry_t *dentry, i
 				     dtohd2(dentry),
 				     strlen(META_FILENAME));
 	mutex_unlock(&dtohd2(dentry)->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	if (IS_ERR(meta_dentry))
+		return PTR_ERR(meta_dentry);
 
         if(!meta_dentry->d_inode) {
                 /* We need to create a META-file */
@@ -803,6 +812,8 @@ int meta_sync_r_list(dentry_t *dentry, i
 				     dtohd2(dentry),
 				     strlen(META_FILENAME));
 	mutex_unlock(&dtohd2(dentry)->d_inode->i_mutex);
+	if (IS_ERR(meta_dentry))
+		return PTR_ERR(meta_dentry);
 
         if(!meta_dentry->d_inode) {
                 /* We need to create a META-file */
