diff --git a/fs/ext4/xattr.c b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
index 5a6fe1513fd2..ff2ad93cf72e 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/xattr.c
@@ -1029,6 +1029,14 @@ static int ext4_xattr_inode_update_ref(handle_t *handle, struct inode *ea_inode,
 		goto out;
 
 	ref_count = ext4_xattr_inode_get_ref(ea_inode);
+	if (ref_count <= 0) 
+	{
+		EXT4_ERROR_INODE(ea_inode, "EA inode %lu ref_count underflow: ref_count=%lld ref_change=%d", 
+				ea_inode->i_ino, ref_count, ref_change);
+		ret = -EFSCORRUPTED;
+		goto out;
+        }
+
 	ref_count += ref_change;
 	ext4_xattr_inode_set_ref(ea_inode, ref_count);