diff --git a/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c b/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
index 52f368b6561e..1520962b840c 100644
--- a/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
+++ b/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ struct audit_fsnotify_mark *audit_alloc_mark(struct audit_krule *krule, char *pa
 
 	ret = fsnotify_add_mark(&audit_mark->mark, inode, NULL, true);
 	if (ret < 0) {
+		audit_mark->path = NULL;
 		fsnotify_put_mark(&audit_mark->mark);
 		audit_mark = ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}