diff --git a/fs/vfs/fs_open.c b/fs/vfs/fs_open.c
index 7b3a7544cc8..b62aaf0cffe 100644
--- a/fs/vfs/fs_open.c
+++ b/fs/vfs/fs_open.c
@@ -186,6 +186,11 @@ static int file_vopen(FAR struct file *filep, FAR const char *path,
       ret = -ENXIO;
     }
 
+  if (ret == -EISDIR)
+    {
+      ret = dir_allocate(filep, desc.relpath);
+    }
+
   if (ret < 0)
     {
       goto errout_with_inode;