diff --git a/fs/ext3/ialloc.c b/fs/ext3/ialloc.c
index bf09cbf..835d4ea 100644
--- a/fs/ext3/ialloc.c
+++ b/fs/ext3/ialloc.c
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@
 fail_drop:
 	dquot_drop(inode);
 	inode->i_flags |= S_NOQUOTA;
-	inode->i_nlink = 0;
+	clear_nlink(inode);
 	unlock_new_inode(inode);
 	iput(inode);
 	brelse(bitmap_bh);