diff --git a/sys/fs/nfs/nfs_commonkrpc.c b/sys/fs/nfs/nfs_commonkrpc.c
index 9dfd9b6f8911..48e92426f7a0 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nfs/nfs_commonkrpc.c
+++ b/sys/fs/nfs/nfs_commonkrpc.c
@@ -852,9 +852,9 @@ newnfs_request(struct nfsrv_descript *nd, struct nfsmount *nmp,
 			if ((nmp != NULL && i == NFSV4OP_SEQUENCE && j != 0) ||
 			    (clp != NULL && i == NFSV4OP_CBSEQUENCE && j != 0))
 				NFSCL_DEBUG(1, "failed seq=%d\n", j);
-			if ((nmp != NULL && i == NFSV4OP_SEQUENCE && j == 0) ||
-			    (clp != NULL && i == NFSV4OP_CBSEQUENCE && j == 0)
-			    ) {
+			if (((nmp != NULL && i == NFSV4OP_SEQUENCE && j == 0) ||
+			    (clp != NULL && i == NFSV4OP_CBSEQUENCE &&
+			    j == 0)) && sep != NULL) {
 				if (i == NFSV4OP_SEQUENCE)
 					NFSM_DISSECT(tl, uint32_t *,
 					    NFSX_V4SESSIONID +
@@ -896,7 +896,8 @@ newnfs_request(struct nfsrv_descript *nd, struct nfsmount *nmp,
 		}
 		if (nd->nd_repstat != 0) {
 			if (nd->nd_repstat == NFSERR_BADSESSION &&
-			    nmp != NULL && dssep == NULL) {
+			    nmp != NULL && dssep == NULL &&
+			    (nd->nd_flag & ND_NFSV41) != 0) {
 				/*
 				 * If this is a client side MDS RPC, mark
 				 * the MDS session defunct and initiate
diff --git a/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfsmount.h b/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfsmount.h
index e04d0cf7c185..ab3147bdb511 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfsmount.h
+++ b/sys/fs/nfsclient/nfsmount.h
@@ -129,8 +129,10 @@ nfsmnt_mdssession(struct nfsmount *nmp)
 {
 	struct nfsclsession *tsep;
 
+	tsep = NULL;
 	mtx_lock(&nmp->nm_mtx);
-	tsep = NFSMNT_MDSSESSION(nmp);
+	if (TAILQ_FIRST(&nmp->nm_sess) != NULL)
+		tsep = NFSMNT_MDSSESSION(nmp);
 	mtx_unlock(&nmp->nm_mtx);
 	return (tsep);
 }