diff --git a/fs/lockd/mon.c b/fs/lockd/mon.c
index 1d9488cf05348..87a0f207df0b9 100644
--- a/fs/lockd/mon.c
+++ b/fs/lockd/mon.c
@@ -276,6 +276,9 @@ static struct nsm_handle *nsm_create_handle(const struct sockaddr *sap,
 {
 	struct nsm_handle *new;
 
+	if (!hostname)
+		return NULL;
+
 	new = kzalloc(sizeof(*new) + hostname_len + 1, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (unlikely(new == NULL))
 		return NULL;