diff --git a/mm/mempolicy.c b/mm/mempolicy.c
index 745ce90308a6..10db44f95749 100644
--- a/mm/mempolicy.c
+++ b/mm/mempolicy.c
@@ -2222,9 +2222,13 @@ int mpol_parse_str(char *str, struct mempolicy **mpol, int no_context)
 		if (!nodelist)
 			err = 0;
 		goto out;
-	/*
-	 * case MPOL_BIND:    mpol_new() enforces non-empty nodemask.
-	 */
+	case MPOL_BIND:
+		/*
+		 * Insist on a nodelist
+		 */
+		if (!nodelist)
+			goto out;
+		err = 0;
 	}
 
 	mode_flags = 0;