diff --git a/fs/vboxsf/dir.c b/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
index 6ff84343edca..87d5b2fef592 100644
--- a/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
+++ b/fs/vboxsf/dir.c
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ static int vboxsf_dir_instantiate(struct inode *parent, struct dentry *dentry,
 }
 
 static int vboxsf_dir_create(struct inode *parent, struct dentry *dentry,
-			     umode_t mode, bool is_dir, bool excl)
+			     umode_t mode, bool is_dir, bool excl, u64 *handle_ret)
 {
 	struct vboxsf_inode *sf_parent_i = VBOXSF_I(parent);
 	struct vboxsf_sbi *sbi = VBOXSF_SBI(parent->i_sb);
@@ -278,30 +278,34 @@ static int vboxsf_dir_create(struct inode *parent, struct dentry *dentry,
 	if (params.result != SHFL_FILE_CREATED)
 		return -EPERM;
 
-	vboxsf_close(sbi->root, params.handle);
-
 	err = vboxsf_dir_instantiate(parent, dentry, &params.info);
 	if (err)
-		return err;
+		goto out;
 
 	/* parent directory access/change time changed */
 	sf_parent_i->force_restat = 1;
 
-	return 0;
+out:
+	if (err == 0 && handle_ret)
+		*handle_ret = params.handle;
+	else
+		vboxsf_close(sbi->root, params.handle);
+
+	return err;
 }
 
 static int vboxsf_dir_mkfile(struct user_namespace *mnt_userns,
 			     struct inode *parent, struct dentry *dentry,
 			     umode_t mode, bool excl)
 {
-	return vboxsf_dir_create(parent, dentry, mode, false, excl);
+	return vboxsf_dir_create(parent, dentry, mode, false, excl, NULL);
 }
 
 static int vboxsf_dir_mkdir(struct user_namespace *mnt_userns,
 			    struct inode *parent, struct dentry *dentry,
 			    umode_t mode)
 {
-	return vboxsf_dir_create(parent, dentry, mode, true, true);
+	return vboxsf_dir_create(parent, dentry, mode, true, true, NULL);
 }
 
 static int vboxsf_dir_unlink(struct inode *parent, struct dentry *dentry)