diff --git a/fs/ext4/xattr.c b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
index 083c95126781d..6c1018223c54a 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
@@ -2404,7 +2404,7 @@ ext4_xattr_set_handle(handle_t *handle, struct inode *inode, int name_index,
 				 * external inode if possible.
 				 */
 				if (ext4_has_feature_ea_inode(inode->i_sb) &&
-				    !i.in_inode) {
+				    i.value_len && !i.in_inode) {
 					i.in_inode = 1;
 					goto retry_inode;
 				}