diff --git a/src/client/Client.cc b/src/client/Client.cc
index 7043f9058a405..12bb20e00d97d 100644
--- a/src/client/Client.cc
+++ b/src/client/Client.cc
@@ -1465,6 +1465,10 @@ mds_rank_t Client::choose_target_mds(MetaRequest *req, Inode** phash_diri)
 	mds = in->fragmap[fg];
 	if (phash_diri)
 	  *phash_diri = in;
+      } else if (in->auth_cap) {
+	mds = in->auth_cap->session->mds_num;
+      }
+      if (mds >= 0) {
 	ldout(cct, 10) << "choose_target_mds from dirfragtree hash" << dendl;
 	goto out;
       }