diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c b/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
index 3fdff9a3b..a68e99042 100755
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfssvc.c
@@ -567,6 +567,7 @@ void nfsd_last_thread(struct net *net)
 		return;
 
 	nfsd_shutdown_net(net);
+	pr_info("nfsd: last server has exited, flushing export cache\n");
 	nfsd_export_flush(net);
 }
 
@@ -781,6 +782,7 @@ int
 nfsd_svc(int nrservs, struct net *net, const struct cred *cred)
 {
 	int	error;
+	bool	nfsd_up_before;
 	struct nfsd_net *nn = net_generic(net, nfsd_net_id);
 	struct svc_serv *serv;
 
@@ -800,6 +802,8 @@ nfsd_svc(int nrservs, struct net *net, const struct cred *cred)
 	error = nfsd_create_serv(net);
 	if (error)
 		goto out;
+
+	nfsd_up_before = nn->nfsd_net_up;
 	serv = nn->nfsd_serv;
 
 	error = nfsd_startup_net(net, cred);
@@ -807,15 +811,17 @@ nfsd_svc(int nrservs, struct net *net, const struct cred *cred)
 		goto out_put;
 	error = svc_set_num_threads(serv, NULL, nrservs);
 	if (error)
-		goto out_put;
+		goto out_shutdown;
 	error = serv->sv_nrthreads;
+	if (error == 0)
+		nfsd_last_thread(net);
+out_shutdown:
+	if (error < 0 && !nfsd_up_before)
+		nfsd_shutdown_net(net);
 out_put:
 	/* Threads now hold service active */
 	if (xchg(&nn->keep_active, 0))
 		svc_put(serv);
-
-	if (serv->sv_nrthreads == 0)
-		nfsd_last_thread(net);
 	svc_put(serv);
 out:
 	mutex_unlock(&nfsd_mutex);