diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 56e4f4d537d0589912bea3ee629390e894842336..5e6aaadc1dcd994df52a7fcfdc322d0f508cba6f 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -574,9 +574,12 @@ static int unlazy_walk(struct nameidata *nd, struct dentry *dentry)
 drop_dentry:
 	unlock_rcu_walk();
 	dput(dentry);
-	return -ECHILD;
+	goto drop_root_mnt;
 out:
 	unlock_rcu_walk();
+drop_root_mnt:
+	if (!(nd->flags & LOOKUP_ROOT))
+		nd->root.mnt = NULL;
 	return -ECHILD;
 }