diff --git a/fs/smb/client/readdir.c b/fs/smb/client/readdir.c
index 338e4cd81fbd..402ac06ae9b6 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/readdir.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/readdir.c
@@ -765,7 +765,10 @@ find_cifs_entry(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_tcon *tcon, loff_t pos,
 			else
 				cifs_buf_release(cfile->srch_inf.
 						ntwrk_buf_start);
+			/* Reset all pointers to the network buffer to prevent stale references */
 			cfile->srch_inf.ntwrk_buf_start = NULL;
+			cfile->srch_inf.srch_entries_start = NULL;
+			cfile->srch_inf.last_entry = NULL;
 		}
 		rc = initiate_cifs_search(xid, file, full_path);
 		if (rc) {