diff --git a/security/security.c b/security/security.c
index f1b8d2587639..55bc49027ba9 100644
--- a/security/security.c
+++ b/security/security.c
@@ -1027,6 +1027,13 @@ int security_cred_alloc_blank(struct cred *cred, gfp_t gfp)
 
 void security_cred_free(struct cred *cred)
 {
+	/*
+	 * There is a failure case in prepare_creds() that
+	 * may result in a call here with ->security being NULL.
+	 */
+	if (unlikely(cred->security == NULL))
+		return;
+
 	call_void_hook(cred_free, cred);
 }