diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_sysfs.h b/fs/xfs/xfs_sysfs.h
index e9f810fc6731..43585850f154 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_sysfs.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_sysfs.h
@@ -32,9 +32,11 @@ xfs_sysfs_init(
 	struct xfs_kobj		*parent_kobj,
 	const char		*name)
 {
+	struct kobject		*parent;
+
+	parent = parent_kobj ? &parent_kobj->kobject : NULL;
 	init_completion(&kobj->complete);
-	return kobject_init_and_add(&kobj->kobject, ktype,
-				    &parent_kobj->kobject, "%s", name);
+	return kobject_init_and_add(&kobj->kobject, ktype, parent, "%s", name);
 }
 
 static inline void