diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index c9750d755aff63e8d4b5e3774998c5ff93cd22e7..e01070d7bf58a39e27a50ade9fcfd598574f43aa 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -1712,8 +1712,14 @@ int open_namei(int dfd, const char *pathname, int flag,
 	if (error)
 		goto exit_dput;
 	error = __do_follow_link(&path, nd);
-	if (error)
+	if (error) {
+		/* Does someone understand code flow here? Or it is only
+		 * me so stupid? Anathema to whoever designed this non-sense
+		 * with "intent.open".
+		 */
+		release_open_intent(nd);
 		return error;
+	}
 	nd->flags &= ~LOOKUP_PARENT;
 	if (nd->last_type == LAST_BIND)
 		goto ok;