diff --git a/fs/hfsplus/xattr.c b/fs/hfsplus/xattr.c
index 452a1f9becb2..3e6f45b3259d 100644
--- a/fs/hfsplus/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/hfsplus/xattr.c
@@ -317,12 +317,14 @@ static int hfsplus_create_attributes_file(struct super_block *sb)
 		next_node++;
 	}
 
-	hfsplus_mark_inode_dirty(HFSPLUS_ATTR_TREE_I(sb), HFSPLUS_I_ATTR_DIRTY);
 	hfsplus_mark_inode_dirty(attr_file, HFSPLUS_I_ATTR_DIRTY);
 
 	sbi->attr_tree = hfs_btree_open(sb, HFSPLUS_ATTR_CNID);
 	if (!sbi->attr_tree)
 		pr_err("failed to load attributes file\n");
+	else
+		hfsplus_mark_inode_dirty(HFSPLUS_ATTR_TREE_I(sb),
+					 HFSPLUS_I_ATTR_DIRTY);
 
 failed_header_node_init:
 	kfree(buf);