diff --git a/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c b/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
index 60739d5e3373f..c428312938e95 100644
--- a/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
+++ b/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ struct audit_fsnotify_mark *audit_alloc_mark(struct audit_krule *krule, char *pa
 
 	ret = fsnotify_add_inode_mark(&audit_mark->mark, inode, true);
 	if (ret < 0) {
+		audit_mark->path = NULL;
 		fsnotify_put_mark(&audit_mark->mark);
 		audit_mark = ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}