diff --git a/security/apparmor/audit.c b/security/apparmor/audit.c
index 575f3e9c8c80..eeaddfe0c0fb 100644
--- a/security/apparmor/audit.c
+++ b/security/apparmor/audit.c
@@ -200,10 +200,12 @@ int aa_audit_rule_init(u32 field, u32 op, char *rulestr, void **vrule)
 	/* Currently rules are treated as coming from the root ns */
 	rule->label = aa_label_parse(&root_ns->unconfined->label, rulestr,
 				     GFP_KERNEL, true, false);
-	if (IS_ERR(rule->label))
+	if (IS_ERR(rule->label)) {
+		aa_audit_rule_free(rule);
 		return PTR_ERR(rule->label);
-	*vrule = rule;
+	}
 
+	*vrule = rule;
 	return 0;
 }