diff --git a/net/ipv6/netfilter.c b/net/ipv6/netfilter.c
index 95f3f1da0d7f..d38e6a8d8b9f 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/netfilter.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/netfilter.c
@@ -30,13 +30,15 @@ int ip6_route_me_harder(struct sk_buff *skb)
 		.daddr = iph->daddr,
 		.saddr = iph->saddr,
 	};
+	int err;
 
 	dst = ip6_route_output(net, skb->sk, &fl6);
-	if (dst->error) {
+	err = dst->error;
+	if (err) {
 		IP6_INC_STATS(net, ip6_dst_idev(dst), IPSTATS_MIB_OUTNOROUTES);
 		LIMIT_NETDEBUG(KERN_DEBUG "ip6_route_me_harder: No more route.\n");
 		dst_release(dst);
-		return dst->error;
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	/* Drop old route. */