diff --git a/kernel/kmod.c b/kernel/kmod.c
index c6a4f8aebeba..bb7df2a28bd7 100644
--- a/kernel/kmod.c
+++ b/kernel/kmod.c
@@ -451,13 +451,11 @@ int call_usermodehelper_exec(struct subprocess_info *sub_info,
 			     enum umh_wait wait)
 {
 	DECLARE_COMPLETION_ONSTACK(done);
-	int retval;
+	int retval = 0;
 
 	helper_lock();
-	if (sub_info->path[0] == '\0') {
-		retval = 0;
+	if (sub_info->path[0] == '\0')
 		goto out;
-	}
 
 	if (!khelper_wq || usermodehelper_disabled) {
 		retval = -EBUSY;
@@ -468,13 +466,14 @@ int call_usermodehelper_exec(struct subprocess_info *sub_info,
 	sub_info->wait = wait;
 
 	queue_work(khelper_wq, &sub_info->work);
-	if (wait == UMH_NO_WAIT) /* task has freed sub_info */
-		return 0;
+	if (wait == UMH_NO_WAIT)	/* task has freed sub_info */
+		goto unlock;
 	wait_for_completion(&done);
 	retval = sub_info->retval;
 
-  out:
+out:
 	call_usermodehelper_freeinfo(sub_info);
+unlock:
 	helper_unlock();
 	return retval;
 }