diff --git a/security/keys/key.c b/security/keys/key.c
index bd5a272f28a66f689e3dc3bc0951d37e302ad301..346fbf201c22e37e67dc58b5684c868e79ad9af5 100644
--- a/security/keys/key.c
+++ b/security/keys/key.c
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ int key_reject_and_link(struct key *key,
 
 	mutex_unlock(&key_construction_mutex);
 
-	if (keyring)
+	if (keyring && link_ret == 0)
 		__key_link_end(keyring, &key->index_key, edit);
 
 	/* wake up anyone waiting for a key to be constructed */