diff --git a/fs/nilfs2/direct.c b/fs/nilfs2/direct.c
index 893ab36824cc..2d8dc6b35b54 100644
--- a/fs/nilfs2/direct.c
+++ b/fs/nilfs2/direct.c
@@ -273,6 +273,9 @@ static int nilfs_direct_propagate(struct nilfs_bmap *bmap,
 	dat = nilfs_bmap_get_dat(bmap);
 	key = nilfs_bmap_data_get_key(bmap, bh);
 	ptr = nilfs_direct_get_ptr(bmap, key);
+	if (ptr == NILFS_BMAP_INVALID_PTR)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (!buffer_nilfs_volatile(bh)) {
 		oldreq.pr_entry_nr = ptr;
 		newreq.pr_entry_nr = ptr;