diff --git a/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c b/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
index 8ad2c267ff4710..5f2090d051acba 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
@@ -6167,6 +6167,11 @@ static struct cgroup *cgroup_get_from_file(struct file *f)
 		return ERR_CAST(css);
 
 	cgrp = css->cgroup;
+	if (!cgroup_on_dfl(cgrp)) {
+		cgroup_put(cgrp);
+		return ERR_PTR(-EBADF);
+	}
+
 	return cgrp;
 }