diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/super.c b/fs/overlayfs/super.c
index d659f766ceff..781e1d86d2ce 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/super.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/super.c
@@ -1074,16 +1074,19 @@ static int ovl_fill_super(struct super_block *sb, void *data, int silent)
 		/*
 		 * Upper should support d_type, else whiteouts are visible.
 		 * Given workdir and upper are on same fs, we can do
-		 * iterate_dir() on workdir.
+		 * iterate_dir() on workdir. This check requires successful
+		 * creation of workdir in previous step.
 		 */
-		err = ovl_check_d_type_supported(&workpath);
-		if (err < 0)
-			goto out_put_workdir;
+		if (ufs->workdir) {
+			err = ovl_check_d_type_supported(&workpath);
+			if (err < 0)
+				goto out_put_workdir;
 
-		if (!err) {
-			pr_err("overlayfs: upper fs needs to support d_type.\n");
-			err = -EINVAL;
-			goto out_put_workdir;
+			if (!err) {
+				pr_err("overlayfs: upper fs needs to support d_type.\n");
+				err = -EINVAL;
+				goto out_put_workdir;
+			}
 		}
 	}