nd.flags |= LOOKUP_PARENT;
                error = __do_follow_link(&link, &nd, &cookie);
                if (unlikely(error)) {
-                       if (!IS_ERR(cookie) && linki->i_op->put_link)
-                               linki->i_op->put_link(link.dentry, &nd, cookie);
-                       /* nd.path had been dropped */
-                       nd.path = link;
-                       goto out_path;
+                       filp = ERR_PTR(error);
+               } else {
+                       nd.flags &= ~LOOKUP_PARENT;
+                       filp = do_last(&nd, &path, open_flag, acc_mode, mode, pathname);
                }
-               nd.flags &= ~LOOKUP_PARENT;
-               filp = do_last(&nd, &path, open_flag, acc_mode, mode, pathname);
-               if (linki->i_op->put_link)
+               if (!IS_ERR(cookie) && linki->i_op->put_link)
                        linki->i_op->put_link(link.dentry, &nd, cookie);
                path_put(&link);
        }