diff --git a/kernel/module/stats.c b/kernel/module/stats.c
index ad7b6ada29f2..6ab2c94d6bc3 100644
--- a/kernel/module/stats.c
+++ b/kernel/module/stats.c
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ static ssize_t read_file_mod_stats(struct file *file, char __user *user_buf,
 	struct mod_fail_load *mod_fail;
 	unsigned int len, size, count_failed = 0;
 	char *buf;
+	int ret;
 	u32 live_mod_count, fkreads, fdecompress, fbecoming, floads;
 	unsigned long total_size, text_size, ikread_bytes, ibecoming_bytes,
 		idecompress_bytes, imod_bytes, total_virtual_lost;
@@ -390,8 +391,9 @@ static ssize_t read_file_mod_stats(struct file *file, char __user *user_buf,
 out_unlock:
 	mutex_unlock(&module_mutex);
 out:
+	ret = simple_read_from_buffer(user_buf, count, ppos, buf, len);
 	kfree(buf);
-        return simple_read_from_buffer(user_buf, count, ppos, buf, len);
+	return ret;
 }
 #undef MAX_PREAMBLE
 #undef MAX_FAILED_MOD_PRINT