diff --git a/fs/ext4/mballoc.c b/fs/ext4/mballoc.c
index e9be0c0a8042..73b27ddafe91 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/mballoc.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/mballoc.c
@@ -2892,6 +2892,8 @@ repeat:
 		 * from the goal value specified
 		 */
 		group = ac->ac_g_ex.fe_group;
+		if (group >= ngroups)
+			group = 0;
 		ac->ac_groups_linear_remaining = sbi->s_mb_max_linear_groups;
 		prefetch_grp = group;