diff --git a/fs/f2fs/data.c b/fs/f2fs/data.c
index cea34b4595b1..60dea95b0295 100644
--- a/fs/f2fs/data.c
+++ b/fs/f2fs/data.c
@@ -3860,7 +3860,7 @@ static int __reserve_data_block(struct inode *inode, pgoff_t index,
 
 static int prepare_atomic_write_begin(struct f2fs_sb_info *sbi,
 			struct folio *folio, loff_t pos, unsigned int len,
-			block_t *blk_addr, bool *node_changed, bool *use_cow)
+			block_t *blk_addr, bool *node_changed)
 {
 	struct inode *inode = folio->mapping->host;
 	struct inode *cow_inode = F2FS_I(inode)->cow_inode;
@@ -3875,14 +3875,14 @@ static int prepare_atomic_write_begin(struct f2fs_sb_info *sbi,
 
 	/* Look for the block in COW inode first */
 	err = __find_data_block(cow_inode, index, blk_addr);
-	if (err) {
+	if (err)
 		return err;
-	} else if (__is_valid_data_blkaddr(*blk_addr)) {
-		*use_cow = true;
+
+	if (__is_valid_data_blkaddr(*blk_addr))
 		return 0;
-	} else if (*blk_addr == NEW_ADDR) {
+
+	if (*blk_addr == NEW_ADDR)
 		cow_has_reserved_block = true;
-	}
 
 	if (is_inode_flag_set(inode, FI_ATOMIC_REPLACE))
 		goto reserve_block;
@@ -3917,7 +3917,6 @@ static int f2fs_write_begin(const struct kiocb *iocb,
 	struct folio *folio;
 	pgoff_t index = pos >> PAGE_SHIFT;
 	bool need_balance = false;
-	bool use_cow = false;
 	block_t blkaddr = NULL_ADDR;
 	int err = 0;
 
@@ -3980,7 +3979,7 @@ static int f2fs_write_begin(const struct kiocb *iocb,
 
 	if (f2fs_is_atomic_file(inode))
 		err = prepare_atomic_write_begin(sbi, folio, pos, len,
-					&blkaddr, &need_balance, &use_cow);
+					&blkaddr, &need_balance);
 	else
 		err = prepare_write_begin(sbi, folio, pos, len,
 					&blkaddr, &need_balance);
@@ -4020,8 +4019,15 @@ static int f2fs_write_begin(const struct kiocb *iocb,
 			err = -EFSCORRUPTED;
 			goto put_folio;
 		}
-		f2fs_submit_page_read(use_cow ? F2FS_I(inode)->cow_inode :
-						inode,
+		/*
+		 * Although the block may be stored in the COW inode, the folio
+		 * belongs to @inode and its data was encrypted (or not) using
+		 * @inode's context (see f2fs_encrypt_one_page()).  Read with
+		 * @inode so the post-read decryption decision matches the
+		 * folio's owner; otherwise an unencrypted @inode whose COW inode
+		 * is encrypted hits a NULL ->i_crypt_info on decryption.
+		 */
+		f2fs_submit_page_read(inode,
 				      NULL, /* can't write to fsverity files */
 				      folio, blkaddr, 0, true);