diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/include/lustre/lustre_user.h b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/include/lustre/lustre_user.h
index a74de59e2030..336360580910 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/include/lustre/lustre_user.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/include/lustre/lustre_user.h
@@ -265,13 +265,11 @@ struct ost_id {
 
 #define MAX_OBD_NAME 128 /* If this changes, a NEW ioctl must be added */
 
-/* Hopefully O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE does not conflict with standard O_xxx flags.
- * Previously it was defined as 0100000000 and conflicts with FMODE_NONOTIFY
- * which was added since kernel 2.6.36, so we redefine it as 020000000.
- * To be compatible with old version's statically linked binary, finally we
- * define it as (020000000 | 0100000000).
- * */
-#define O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE      0120000000
+/* Define O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE to be a mask that is not useful for regular
+ * files, but are unlikely to be used in practice and are not harmful if
+ * used incorrectly.  O_NOCTTY and FASYNC are only meaningful for character
+ * devices and are safe for use on new files (See LU-812, LU-4209). */
+#define O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE	(O_NOCTTY | FASYNC)
 
 #define LL_FILE_IGNORE_LOCK     0x00000001
 #define LL_FILE_GROUP_LOCKED    0x00000002
diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/include/lustre_mdc.h b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/include/lustre_mdc.h
index c1e02702b931..468f36344a34 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/include/lustre_mdc.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/include/lustre_mdc.h
@@ -166,6 +166,17 @@ void it_clear_disposition(struct lookup_intent *it, int flag);
 void it_set_disposition(struct lookup_intent *it, int flag);
 int it_open_error(int phase, struct lookup_intent *it);
 
+static inline bool cl_is_lov_delay_create(unsigned int flags)
+{
+	return (flags & O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE) == O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE;
+}
+
+static inline void cl_lov_delay_create_clear(unsigned int *flags)
+{
+	if ((*flags & O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE) == O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE)
+		*flags &= ~O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE;
+}
+
 /** @} mdc */
 
 #endif
diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/llite/file.c b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/llite/file.c
index 19125d5c991a..abf5f4611abc 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/llite/file.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/llite/file.c
@@ -671,14 +671,13 @@ restart:
 
 	ll_capa_open(inode);
 
-	if (!lli->lli_has_smd) {
-		if (file->f_flags & O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE ||
-		    !(file->f_mode & FMODE_WRITE)) {
-			CDEBUG(D_INODE, "object creation was delayed\n");
-			GOTO(out_och_free, rc);
-		}
+	if (!lli->lli_has_smd &&
+	    (cl_is_lov_delay_create(file->f_flags) ||
+	     (file->f_mode & FMODE_WRITE) == 0)) {
+		CDEBUG(D_INODE, "object creation was delayed\n");
+		GOTO(out_och_free, rc);
 	}
-	file->f_flags &= ~O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE;
+	cl_lov_delay_create_clear(&file->f_flags);
 	GOTO(out_och_free, rc);
 
 out_och_free:
@@ -1381,23 +1380,25 @@ int ll_lov_setstripe_ea_info(struct inode *inode, struct file *file,
 		ccc_inode_lsm_put(inode, lsm);
 		CDEBUG(D_IOCTL, "stripe already exists for ino %lu\n",
 		       inode->i_ino);
-		return -EEXIST;
+		GOTO(out, rc = -EEXIST);
 	}
 
 	ll_inode_size_lock(inode);
 	rc = ll_intent_file_open(file, lum, lum_size, &oit);
 	if (rc)
-		GOTO(out, rc);
+		GOTO(out_unlock, rc);
 	rc = oit.d.lustre.it_status;
 	if (rc < 0)
 		GOTO(out_req_free, rc);
 
 	ll_release_openhandle(file->f_dentry, &oit);
 
- out:
+out_unlock:
 	ll_inode_size_unlock(inode);
 	ll_intent_release(&oit);
 	ccc_inode_lsm_put(inode, lsm);
+out:
+	cl_lov_delay_create_clear(&file->f_flags);
 	return rc;
 out_req_free:
 	ptlrpc_req_finished((struct ptlrpc_request *) oit.d.lustre.it_data);
diff --git a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/mdc/mdc_lib.c b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/mdc/mdc_lib.c
index 91f6876dac3f..5b9f37141512 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/mdc/mdc_lib.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/lustre/lustre/mdc/mdc_lib.c
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ static __u64 mds_pack_open_flags(__u64 flags, __u32 mode)
 	if (flags & FMODE_EXEC)
 		cr_flags |= MDS_FMODE_EXEC;
 #endif
-	if (flags & O_LOV_DELAY_CREATE)
+	if (cl_is_lov_delay_create(flags))
 		cr_flags |= MDS_OPEN_DELAY_CREATE;
 
 	if (flags & O_NONBLOCK)