diff --git a/fs/cifsd/mgmt/share_config.c b/fs/cifsd/mgmt/share_config.c
index db780febd692a474af193b30af745bd03eaaa85f..b2bd789af945fe6f8476a2a66443db14b1638143 100644
--- a/fs/cifsd/mgmt/share_config.c
+++ b/fs/cifsd/mgmt/share_config.c
@@ -92,14 +92,14 @@ static int parse_veto_list(struct ksmbd_share_config *share,
 	while (veto_list_sz > 0) {
 		struct ksmbd_veto_pattern *p;
 
-		p = kzalloc(sizeof(struct ksmbd_veto_pattern), GFP_KERNEL);
-		if (!p)
-			return -ENOMEM;
-
 		sz = strlen(veto_list);
 		if (!sz)
 			break;
 
+		p = kzalloc(sizeof(struct ksmbd_veto_pattern), GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (!p)
+			return -ENOMEM;
+
 		p->pattern = kstrdup(veto_list, GFP_KERNEL);
 		if (!p->pattern) {
 			ksmbd_free(p);