diff --git a/fs/ext4/inode.c b/fs/ext4/inode.c
index 98f381f6fc180..4118b720b6762 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/inode.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/inode.c
@@ -5701,7 +5701,12 @@ int ext4_mark_iloc_dirty(handle_t *handle,
 	}
 	ext4_fc_track_inode(handle, inode);
 
-	if (IS_I_VERSION(inode))
+	/*
+	 * ea_inodes are using i_version for storing reference count, don't
+	 * mess with it
+	 */
+	if (IS_I_VERSION(inode) &&
+	    !(EXT4_I(inode)->i_flags & EXT4_EA_INODE_FL))
 		inode_inc_iversion(inode);
 
 	/* the do_update_inode consumes one bh->b_count */