diff --git a/lustre/mds/handler.c b/lustre/mds/handler.c
index 6b20e03cc032c2e2877f7828ebdf893c390b09cc..045daa343c1f21fabe878ede2ff2d46e3bb74b4c 100644
--- a/lustre/mds/handler.c
+++ b/lustre/mds/handler.c
@@ -949,12 +949,12 @@ static int mds_getattr_name(int offset, struct ptlrpc_request *req,
         cleanup_phase = 2; /* dchild, dparent, locks */
 
 fill_inode:
-        if (dparent) {
-                rc = mds_check_mds_num(obd, dparent->d_cache_inode, name,
-                                       namesize);
-                if (rc)
-                        GOTO(cleanup, rc); 
-        }
+
+        /* let's make sure this name should leave on this mds node */
+        rc = mds_check_mds_num(obd, dparent->d_inode, name, namesize);
+        if (rc)
+                GOTO(cleanup, rc);
+
         if (!DENTRY_VALID(dchild)) {
                 intent_set_disposition(rep, DISP_LOOKUP_NEG);
                 /* in the intent case, the policy clears this error: