diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs4idmap.c b/fs/nfs/nfs4idmap.c
index 30426c1a1bbd..22dc30a679a0 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs4idmap.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs4idmap.c
@@ -568,9 +568,13 @@ static int nfs_idmap_legacy_upcall(struct key_construction *cons,
 	struct idmap_msg *im;
 	struct idmap *idmap = (struct idmap *)aux;
 	struct key *key = cons->key;
-	int ret = -ENOMEM;
+	int ret = -ENOKEY;
+
+	if (!aux)
+		goto out1;
 
 	/* msg and im are freed in idmap_pipe_destroy_msg */
+	ret = -ENOMEM;
 	data = kzalloc(sizeof(*data), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!data)
 		goto out1;