diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c b/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
index 209eaa0885d1..d4c9884cd54b 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
@@ -390,12 +390,14 @@ nfsd_svc(unsigned short port, int nrservs)
 
 	mutex_lock(&nfsd_mutex);
 	dprintk("nfsd: creating service\n");
-	error = -EINVAL;
 	if (nrservs <= 0)
 		nrservs = 0;
 	if (nrservs > NFSD_MAXSERVS)
 		nrservs = NFSD_MAXSERVS;
-	
+	error = 0;
+	if (nrservs == 0 && nfsd_serv == NULL)
+		goto out;
+
 	/* Readahead param cache - will no-op if it already exists */
 	error =	nfsd_racache_init(2*nrservs);
 	if (error<0)