diff --git a/fs/overlayfs/file.c b/fs/overlayfs/file.c
index b5bbe99c2603..6c748286843a 100644
--- a/fs/overlayfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/overlayfs/file.c
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ static struct file *ovl_open_realfile(const struct file *file,
 	if (err) {
 		realfile = ERR_PTR(err);
 	} else {
-		if (!inode_owner_or_capable(real_mnt_userns, realinode))
+		if (old_cred && !inode_owner_or_capable(real_mnt_userns,
+							realinode))
 			flags &= ~O_NOATIME;
 
 		realfile = open_with_fake_path(&file->f_path, flags, realinode,