diff --git a/fs/kernfs/dir.c b/fs/kernfs/dir.c
index 4076e8a7c269..a8028be6cdb7 100644
--- a/fs/kernfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/kernfs/dir.c
@@ -920,6 +920,9 @@ static void __kernfs_remove(struct kernfs_node *kn)
 
 	lockdep_assert_held(&kernfs_mutex);
 
+	if (!kn)
+		return;
+
 	pr_debug("kernfs %s: removing\n", kn->name);
 
 	__kernfs_deactivate(kn);