diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/file.c b/fs/overlayfs/file.c
index d51e57e74ee3..34f8d7b3e4ff 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/file.c
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ static struct file *ovl_open_realfile(const struct file *file,
 	if (err) {
 		realfile = ERR_PTR(err);
 	} else {
-		if (!inode_owner_or_capable(&init_user_ns, realinode))
+		if (old_cred && !inode_owner_or_capable(&init_user_ns,
+							realinode))
 			flags &= ~O_NOATIME;
 
 		realfile = open_with_fake_path(&file->f_path, flags, realinode,