diff --git a/fs/fscache/object.c b/fs/fscache/object.c
index 12bb468bf0ae..9b79fc9a1464 100644
--- a/fs/fscache/object.c
+++ b/fs/fscache/object.c
@@ -610,6 +610,8 @@ static const struct fscache_state *fscache_lookup_failure(struct fscache_object
 	object->cache->ops->lookup_complete(object);
 	fscache_stat_d(&fscache_n_cop_lookup_complete);
 
+	set_bit(FSCACHE_OBJECT_KILLED_BY_CACHE, &object->flags);
+
 	cookie = object->cookie;
 	set_bit(FSCACHE_COOKIE_UNAVAILABLE, &cookie->flags);
 	if (test_and_clear_bit(FSCACHE_COOKIE_LOOKING_UP, &cookie->flags))
diff --git a/fs/fscache/operation.c b/fs/fscache/operation.c
index dec6defe3be3..18658fffbba1 100644
--- a/fs/fscache/operation.c
+++ b/fs/fscache/operation.c
@@ -176,6 +176,9 @@ int fscache_submit_exclusive_op(struct fscache_object *object,
 		list_add_tail(&op->pend_link, &object->pending_ops);
 		fscache_stat(&fscache_n_op_pend);
 		ret = 0;
+	} else if (flags & BIT(FSCACHE_OBJECT_KILLED_BY_CACHE)) {
+		op->state = FSCACHE_OP_ST_CANCELLED;
+		ret = -ENOBUFS;
 	} else {
 		fscache_report_unexpected_submission(object, op, ostate);
 		op->state = FSCACHE_OP_ST_CANCELLED;
@@ -249,6 +252,9 @@ int fscache_submit_op(struct fscache_object *object,
 		list_add_tail(&op->pend_link, &object->pending_ops);
 		fscache_stat(&fscache_n_op_pend);
 		ret = 0;
+	} else if (flags & BIT(FSCACHE_OBJECT_KILLED_BY_CACHE)) {
+		op->state = FSCACHE_OP_ST_CANCELLED;
+		ret = -ENOBUFS;
 	} else {
 		fscache_report_unexpected_submission(object, op, ostate);
 		ASSERT(!fscache_object_is_active(object));