diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 0f02359ce685..14c73edca9ce 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -479,6 +479,14 @@ static int nameidata_dentry_drop_rcu(struct nameidata *nd, struct dentry *dentry
 	struct fs_struct *fs = current->fs;
 	struct dentry *parent = nd->path.dentry;
 
+	/*
+	 * It can be possible to revalidate the dentry that we started
+	 * the path walk with. force_reval_path may also revalidate the
+	 * dentry already committed to the nameidata.
+	 */
+	if (unlikely(parent == dentry))
+		return nameidata_drop_rcu(nd);
+
 	BUG_ON(!(nd->flags & LOOKUP_RCU));
 	if (nd->root.mnt) {
 		spin_lock(&fs->lock);