diff --git a/fs/nfs/namespace.c b/fs/nfs/namespace.c
index b7cac07fe0c804e1d162ccc1be3afb87603b2394..30a230fde3315c93aacde6dfd8d3bd4e5b71baa0 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/namespace.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/namespace.c
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ struct vfsmount *nfs_d_automount(struct path *path)
 	struct nfs_server *server = NFS_SERVER(d_inode(path->dentry));
 	struct nfs_fh *fh = NULL;
 	struct nfs_fattr *fattr = NULL;
+	int timeout = READ_ONCE(nfs_mountpoint_expiry_timeout);
 
 	if (IS_ROOT(path->dentry))
 		return ERR_PTR(-ESTALE);
@@ -160,12 +161,12 @@ struct vfsmount *nfs_d_automount(struct path *path)
 	if (IS_ERR(mnt))
 		goto out;
 
-	if (nfs_mountpoint_expiry_timeout < 0)
+	mntget(mnt); /* prevent immediate expiration */
+	if (timeout <= 0)
 		goto out;
 
-	mntget(mnt); /* prevent immediate expiration */
 	mnt_set_expiry(mnt, &nfs_automount_list);
-	schedule_delayed_work(&nfs_automount_task, nfs_mountpoint_expiry_timeout);
+	schedule_delayed_work(&nfs_automount_task, timeout);
 
 out:
 	nfs_free_fattr(fattr);
@@ -204,10 +205,11 @@ const struct inode_operations nfs_referral_inode_operations = {
 static void nfs_expire_automounts(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	struct list_head *list = &nfs_automount_list;
+	int timeout = READ_ONCE(nfs_mountpoint_expiry_timeout);
 
 	mark_mounts_for_expiry(list);
-	if (!list_empty(list))
-		schedule_delayed_work(&nfs_automount_task, nfs_mountpoint_expiry_timeout);
+	if (!list_empty(list) && timeout > 0)
+		schedule_delayed_work(&nfs_automount_task, timeout);
 }
 
 void nfs_release_automount_timer(void)