diff --git a/net/socket.c b/net/socket.c
index 78acd6ce74c7..6f05d5c4bf30 100644
--- a/net/socket.c
+++ b/net/socket.c
@@ -436,8 +436,10 @@ static int sock_map_fd(struct socket *sock, int flags)
 {
 	struct file *newfile;
 	int fd = get_unused_fd_flags(flags);
-	if (unlikely(fd < 0))
+	if (unlikely(fd < 0)) {
+		sock_release(sock);
 		return fd;
+	}
 
 	newfile = sock_alloc_file(sock, flags, NULL);
 	if (likely(!IS_ERR(newfile))) {