diff --git a/security/keys/user_defined.c b/security/keys/user_defined.c
index 5b366d7af3c4..69ff52c08e97 100644
--- a/security/keys/user_defined.c
+++ b/security/keys/user_defined.c
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ int user_update(struct key *key, const void *data, size_t datalen)
 		key->expiry = 0;
 	}
 
-	kfree_rcu(zap, rcu);
+	if (zap)
+		kfree_rcu(zap, rcu);
 
 error:
 	return ret;