diff --git a/security/apparmor/audit.c b/security/apparmor/audit.c
index 5a98661a8b46..597732503815 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/audit.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/audit.c
@@ -197,8 +197,9 @@ int aa_audit_rule_init(u32 field, u32 op, char *rulestr, void **vrule)
 	rule->label = aa_label_parse(&root_ns->unconfined->label, rulestr,
 				     GFP_KERNEL, true, false);
 	if (IS_ERR(rule->label)) {
+		int err = PTR_ERR(rule->label);
 		aa_audit_rule_free(rule);
-		return PTR_ERR(rule->label);
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	*vrule = rule;