diff --git a/fs/smb/client/connect.c b/fs/smb/client/connect.c
index 0a97228c06b1e..fb6a2eed58567 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/connect.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/connect.c
@@ -2571,7 +2571,7 @@ cifs_get_tcon(struct cifs_ses *ses, struct smb3_fs_context *ctx)
 
 	if (ses->server->dialect >= SMB20_PROT_ID &&
 	    (ses->server->capabilities & SMB2_GLOBAL_CAP_DIRECTORY_LEASING))
-		nohandlecache = ctx->nohandlecache;
+		nohandlecache = ctx->nohandlecache || !dir_cache_timeout;
 	else
 		nohandlecache = true;
 	tcon = tcon_info_alloc(!nohandlecache, netfs_trace_tcon_ref_new);