diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/file.c b/fs/overlayfs/file.c
index 81a53839756e..672792db9f41 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/file.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ static struct file *ovl_open_realfile(const struct file *file,
 	err = inode_permission(realinode, MAY_OPEN | acc_mode);
 	if (err) {
 		realfile = ERR_PTR(err);
-	} else if (!inode_owner_or_capable(realinode)) {
+	} else if (old_cred && !inode_owner_or_capable(realinode)) {
 		realfile = ERR_PTR(-EPERM);
 	} else {
 		realfile = open_with_fake_path(&file->f_path, flags, realinode,