diff --git a/weed/mount/weedfs_xattr.go b/weed/mount/weedfs_xattr.go
index e85b9d854..8ae6eb6d5 100644
--- a/weed/mount/weedfs_xattr.go
+++ b/weed/mount/weedfs_xattr.go
@@ -121,22 +121,23 @@ func (wfs *WFS) SetXAttr(cancel <-chan struct{}, input *fuse.SetXAttrIn, attr st
 	if entry.Extended == nil {
 		entry.Extended = make(map[string][]byte)
 	}
-	oldData, _ := entry.Extended[XATTR_PREFIX+attr]
+	_, exists := entry.Extended[XATTR_PREFIX+attr]
 	switch input.Flags {
 	case sys.XATTR_CREATE:
-		if len(oldData) > 0 {
-			break
+		if exists {
+			return fuse.Status(syscall.EEXIST)
 		}
-		fallthrough
 	case sys.XATTR_REPLACE:
-		fallthrough
-	default:
-		// data aliases the FUSE request's pooled input buffer, which is
-		// recycled once this handler returns. Copy before storing so a
-		// later request reusing the buffer cannot corrupt the value.
-		entry.Extended[XATTR_PREFIX+attr] = append([]byte(nil), data...)
+		if !exists {
+			return fuse.ENODATA
+		}
 	}
 
+	// data aliases the FUSE request's pooled input buffer, which is
+	// recycled once this handler returns. Copy before storing so a
+	// later request reusing the buffer cannot corrupt the value.
+	entry.Extended[XATTR_PREFIX+attr] = append([]byte(nil), data...)
+
 	if fh != nil {
 		fh.dirtyMetadata = true
 		return fuse.OK