diff --git a/fs/jfs/namei.c b/fs/jfs/namei.c
index 81ead850ddb6..5a2b269428a6 100644
--- a/fs/jfs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/jfs/namei.c
@@ -1600,7 +1600,7 @@ out:
 
 static int jfs_ci_revalidate(struct dentry *dentry, struct nameidata *nd)
 {
-	if (nd->flags & LOOKUP_RCU)
+	if (nd && nd->flags & LOOKUP_RCU)
 		return -ECHILD;
 	/*
 	 * This is not negative dentry. Always valid.