diff --git a/fs/ext4/namei.c b/fs/ext4/namei.c
index 0e1aeb9cb4a7c..6a08fc31a66de 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/namei.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/namei.c
@@ -2799,6 +2799,7 @@ static int ext4_add_nondir(handle_t *handle,
 		return err;
 	}
 	drop_nlink(inode);
+	ext4_mark_inode_dirty(handle, inode);
 	ext4_orphan_add(handle, inode);
 	unlock_new_inode(inode);
 	return err;
@@ -3436,6 +3437,7 @@ static int ext4_symlink(struct user_namespace *mnt_userns, struct inode *dir,
 
 err_drop_inode:
 	clear_nlink(inode);
+	ext4_mark_inode_dirty(handle, inode);
 	ext4_orphan_add(handle, inode);
 	unlock_new_inode(inode);
 	if (handle)
@@ -4021,6 +4023,7 @@ static int ext4_rename(struct user_namespace *mnt_userns, struct inode *old_dir,
 			ext4_resetent(handle, &old,
 				      old.inode->i_ino, old_file_type);
 			drop_nlink(whiteout);
+			ext4_mark_inode_dirty(handle, whiteout);
 			ext4_orphan_add(handle, whiteout);
 		}
 		unlock_new_inode(whiteout);