diff --git a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
index 97d79eff6b7f..8715d194561a 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/vfs.c
@@ -752,7 +752,8 @@ nfsd_open(struct svc_rqst *rqstp, struct svc_fh *fhp, int type,
 			    flags, current_cred());
 	if (IS_ERR(*filp))
 		host_err = PTR_ERR(*filp);
-	host_err = ima_file_check(*filp, access);
+	else
+		host_err = ima_file_check(*filp, access);
 out_nfserr:
 	err = nfserrno(host_err);
 out: