diff --git a/fs/splice.c b/fs/splice.c
index 9b559ee..0670c91 100644
--- a/fs/splice.c
+++ b/fs/splice.c
@@ -1669,6 +1669,13 @@
 		i++;
 	} while (len);
 
+	/*
+	 * return EAGAIN if we have the potential of some data in the
+	 * future, otherwise just return 0
+	 */
+	if (!ret && ipipe->waiting_writers && (flags & SPLICE_F_NONBLOCK))
+		ret = -EAGAIN;
+
 	inode_double_unlock(ipipe->inode, opipe->inode);
 
 	/*
@@ -1709,11 +1716,8 @@
 		ret = link_ipipe_prep(ipipe, flags);
 		if (!ret) {
 			ret = link_opipe_prep(opipe, flags);
-			if (!ret) {
+			if (!ret)
 				ret = link_pipe(ipipe, opipe, len, flags);
-				if (!ret && (flags & SPLICE_F_NONBLOCK))
-					ret = -EAGAIN;
-			}
 		}
 	}