diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2_data.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2_data.c
index 35ff119aa84b..aecbab61014c 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2_data.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2_data.c
@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@ xfs_dir3_data_write_verify(
 	struct xfs_mount	*mp = bp->b_mount;
 	struct xfs_buf_log_item	*bip = bp->b_log_item;
 	struct xfs_dir3_blk_hdr	*hdr3 = bp->b_addr;
+	struct xfs_dir3_data_hdr *datahdr3 = bp->b_addr;
 	xfs_failaddr_t		fa;
 
 	fa = xfs_dir3_data_verify(bp);
@@ -396,6 +397,11 @@ xfs_dir3_data_write_verify(
 	if (bip)
 		hdr3->lsn = cpu_to_be64(bip->bli_item.li_lsn);
 
+	/*
+	 * Zero padding that may be stale from old kernels.
+	 */
+	datahdr3->pad = 0;
+
 	xfs_buf_update_cksum(bp, XFS_DIR3_DATA_CRC_OFF);
 }