diff --git a/fs/nfs/direct.c b/fs/nfs/direct.c
index e6ace0d..9943a75 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/direct.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/direct.c
@@ -407,15 +407,18 @@
 		pos += vec->iov_len;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If no bytes were started, return the error, and let the
+	 * generic layer handle the completion.
+	 */
+	if (requested_bytes == 0) {
+		nfs_direct_req_release(dreq);
+		return result < 0 ? result : -EIO;
+	}
+
 	if (put_dreq(dreq))
 		nfs_direct_complete(dreq);
-
-	if (requested_bytes != 0)
-		return 0;
-
-	if (result < 0)
-		return result;
-	return -EIO;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static ssize_t nfs_direct_read(struct kiocb *iocb, const struct iovec *iov,
@@ -841,15 +844,18 @@
 		pos += vec->iov_len;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If no bytes were started, return the error, and let the
+	 * generic layer handle the completion.
+	 */
+	if (requested_bytes == 0) {
+		nfs_direct_req_release(dreq);
+		return result < 0 ? result : -EIO;
+	}
+
 	if (put_dreq(dreq))
 		nfs_direct_write_complete(dreq, dreq->inode);
-
-	if (requested_bytes != 0)
-		return 0;
-
-	if (result < 0)
-		return result;
-	return -EIO;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static ssize_t nfs_direct_write(struct kiocb *iocb, const struct iovec *iov,