diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index e30deefad8f8..e0881c0bd228 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -1743,11 +1743,11 @@ static int walk_component(struct nameidata *nd, int flags)
 		if (err < 0)
 			return err;
 
-		inode = d_backing_inode(path.dentry);
 		seq = 0;	/* we are already out of RCU mode */
 		err = -ENOENT;
 		if (d_is_negative(path.dentry))
 			goto out_path_put;
+		inode = d_backing_inode(path.dentry);
 	}
 
 	if (flags & WALK_PUT)
@@ -3192,12 +3192,12 @@ retry_lookup:
 		return error;
 
 	BUG_ON(nd->flags & LOOKUP_RCU);
-	inode = d_backing_inode(path.dentry);
 	seq = 0;	/* out of RCU mode, so the value doesn't matter */
 	if (unlikely(d_is_negative(path.dentry))) {
 		path_to_nameidata(&path, nd);
 		return -ENOENT;
 	}
+	inode = d_backing_inode(path.dentry);
 finish_lookup:
 	if (nd->depth)
 		put_link(nd);