diff --git a/fs/affs/affs.h b/fs/affs/affs.h
index d1c506c1f310..952c5b2059b1 100644
--- a/fs/affs/affs.h
+++ b/fs/affs/affs.h
@@ -306,6 +306,11 @@ affs_lock_dir(struct inode *inode)
 	mutex_lock_nested(&AFFS_I(inode)->i_hash_lock, SINGLE_DEPTH_NESTING);
 }
 static inline void
+affs_lock_subdir(struct inode *inode)
+{
+	mutex_lock_nested(&AFFS_I(inode)->i_hash_lock, SINGLE_DEPTH_NESTING + 1);
+}
+static inline void
 affs_unlock_dir(struct inode *inode)
 {
 	mutex_unlock(&AFFS_I(inode)->i_hash_lock);
diff --git a/fs/affs/amigaffs.c b/fs/affs/amigaffs.c
index 6cc0fc9a4cbf..affa20d2b73d 100644
--- a/fs/affs/amigaffs.c
+++ b/fs/affs/amigaffs.c
@@ -293,7 +293,11 @@ affs_remove_header(struct dentry *dentry)
 		 * i_hash_lock of the inode must only be
 		 * taken after some checks
 		 */
-		affs_lock_dir(inode);
+		if (inode == dir) {
+			retval = -EIO;
+			goto done_unlock;
+		}
+		affs_lock_subdir(inode);
 		retval = affs_empty_dir(inode);
 		affs_unlock_dir(inode);
 		if (retval)