diff --git a/fs/9p/fid.c b/fs/9p/fid.c
index 79df61fe0e596..baf2b152229e3 100644
--- a/fs/9p/fid.c
+++ b/fs/9p/fid.c
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ static struct p9_fid *v9fs_fid_lookup_with_uid(struct dentry *dentry,
 	const unsigned char **wnames, *uname;
 	int i, n, l, clone, access;
 	struct v9fs_session_info *v9ses;
-	struct p9_fid *fid, *old_fid = NULL;
+	struct p9_fid *fid, *old_fid;
 
 	v9ses = v9fs_dentry2v9ses(dentry);
 	access = v9ses->flags & V9FS_ACCESS_MASK;
@@ -194,13 +194,12 @@ static struct p9_fid *v9fs_fid_lookup_with_uid(struct dentry *dentry,
 		if (IS_ERR(fid))
 			return fid;
 
+		refcount_inc(&fid->count);
 		v9fs_fid_add(dentry->d_sb->s_root, fid);
 	}
 	/* If we are root ourself just return that */
-	if (dentry->d_sb->s_root == dentry) {
-		refcount_inc(&fid->count);
+	if (dentry->d_sb->s_root == dentry)
 		return fid;
-	}
 	/*
 	 * Do a multipath walk with attached root.
 	 * When walking parent we need to make sure we
@@ -212,6 +211,7 @@ static struct p9_fid *v9fs_fid_lookup_with_uid(struct dentry *dentry,
 		fid = ERR_PTR(n);
 		goto err_out;
 	}
+	old_fid = fid;
 	clone = 1;
 	i = 0;
 	while (i < n) {
@@ -221,19 +221,15 @@ static struct p9_fid *v9fs_fid_lookup_with_uid(struct dentry *dentry,
 		 * walk to ensure none of the patch component change
 		 */
 		fid = p9_client_walk(fid, l, &wnames[i], clone);
+		/* non-cloning walk will return the same fid */
+		if (fid != old_fid) {
+			p9_client_clunk(old_fid);
+			old_fid = fid;
+		}
 		if (IS_ERR(fid)) {
-			if (old_fid) {
-				/*
-				 * If we fail, clunk fid which are mapping
-				 * to path component and not the last component
-				 * of the path.
-				 */
-				p9_client_clunk(old_fid);
-			}
 			kfree(wnames);
 			goto err_out;
 		}
-		old_fid = fid;
 		i += l;
 		clone = 0;
 	}