diff --git a/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp b/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
index 56b2b69e05..2e6f0dc46d 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/fs/vfs.cpp
@@ -5361,13 +5361,15 @@ file_open_entry_ref(dev_t mountID, ino_t directoryID, const char* name,
 		return B_LINK_LIMIT;
 	}
 
-	int fd = open_vnode(vnode, openMode, kernel);
-	if (fd < 0)
+	int newFD = open_vnode(vnode, openMode, kernel);
+	if (newFD >= 0) {
+		// The vnode reference has been transferred to the FD
+		cache_node_opened(vnode, FDTYPE_FILE, vnode->cache, mountID,
+			directoryID, vnode->id, name);
+	} else
 		put_vnode(vnode);
 
-	cache_node_opened(vnode, FDTYPE_FILE, vnode->cache, mountID, directoryID,
-		vnode->id, name);
-	return fd;
+	return newFD;
 }
 
 
@@ -5394,13 +5396,13 @@ file_open(int fd, char* path, int openMode, bool kernel)
 
 	// open the vnode
 	int newFD = open_vnode(vnode, openMode, kernel);
-	// put only on error -- otherwise our reference was transferred to the FD
-	if (newFD < 0)
+	if (newFD >= 0) {
+		// The vnode reference has been transferred to the FD
+		cache_node_opened(vnode, FDTYPE_FILE, vnode->cache,
+			vnode->device, parentID, vnode->id, NULL);
+	} else
 		put_vnode(vnode);
 
-	cache_node_opened(vnode, FDTYPE_FILE, vnode->cache,
-		vnode->device, parentID, vnode->id, NULL);
-
 	return newFD;
 }
 
@@ -5631,13 +5633,15 @@ dir_open_entry_ref(dev_t mountID, ino_t parentID, const char* name, bool kernel)
 	if (status != B_OK)
 		return status;
 
-	int fd = open_dir_vnode(vnode, kernel);
-	if (fd < 0)
+	int newFD = open_dir_vnode(vnode, kernel);
+	if (newFD >= 0) {
+		// The vnode reference has been transferred to the FD
+		cache_node_opened(vnode, FDTYPE_DIR, vnode->cache, mountID, parentID,
+			vnode->id, name);
+	} else
 		put_vnode(vnode);
 
-	cache_node_opened(vnode, FDTYPE_DIR, vnode->cache, mountID, parentID,
-		vnode->id, name);
-	return fd;
+	return newFD;
 }
 
 
@@ -5657,11 +5661,13 @@ dir_open(int fd, char* path, bool kernel)
 
 	// open the dir
 	int newFD = open_dir_vnode(vnode, kernel);
-	if (newFD < 0)
+	if (newFD >= 0) {
+		// The vnode reference has been transferred to the FD
+		cache_node_opened(vnode, FDTYPE_DIR, vnode->cache, vnode->device,
+			parentID, vnode->id, NULL);
+	} else
 		put_vnode(vnode);
 
-	cache_node_opened(vnode, FDTYPE_DIR, vnode->cache, vnode->device, parentID,
-		vnode->id, NULL);
 	return newFD;
 }