diff --git a/fs/configfs/dir.c b/fs/configfs/dir.c
index 577cff24707b..39843fa7e11b 100644
--- a/fs/configfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/configfs/dir.c
@@ -1777,6 +1777,16 @@ void configfs_unregister_group(struct config_group *group)
 	struct dentry *dentry = group->cg_item.ci_dentry;
 	struct dentry *parent = group->cg_item.ci_parent->ci_dentry;
 
+	mutex_lock(&subsys->su_mutex);
+	if (!group->cg_item.ci_parent->ci_group) {
+		/*
+		 * The parent has already been unlinked and detached
+		 * due to a rmdir.
+		 */
+		goto unlink_group;
+	}
+	mutex_unlock(&subsys->su_mutex);
+
 	inode_lock_nested(d_inode(parent), I_MUTEX_PARENT);
 	spin_lock(&configfs_dirent_lock);
 	configfs_detach_prep(dentry, NULL);
@@ -1791,6 +1801,7 @@ void configfs_unregister_group(struct config_group *group)
 	dput(dentry);
 
 	mutex_lock(&subsys->su_mutex);
+unlink_group:
 	unlink_group(group);
 	mutex_unlock(&subsys->su_mutex);
 }