diff --git a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
index dd7cf0012fbe..4fcf9e8be418 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
@@ -204,8 +204,23 @@ nfsd_cross_mnt(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct dentry **dpp,
 		 * allowed without an explicit export of the new
 		 * directory.
 		 */
-		if (err == -ENOENT && !(exp->ex_flags & NFSEXP_V4ROOT))
-			err = 0;
+		if (err == -ENOENT && !(exp->ex_flags & NFSEXP_V4ROOT)) {
+#ifdef CONFIG_TRUENAS
+			/*
+			 * For ZFS snapshot entries under a zfs_snapdir
+			 * export, the fallback dentry is an automount
+			 * stub with simple_dir_operations that returns
+			 * empty READDIR (NFS4_OK, zero entries). The
+			 * client caches this silently with no error
+			 * signal to trigger re-resolution. Return ESTALE
+			 * so the client retries via LOOKUP.
+			 */
+			if (is_snapdir)
+				err = -ESTALE;
+			else
+#endif /* CONFIG_TRUENAS */
+				err = 0;
+		}
 		path_put(&path);
 		goto out;
 	}