diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index ec6121fb21d8..fc7d562115ae 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -529,6 +529,8 @@ static void set_nameidata(struct nameidata *p, int dfd, struct filename *name)
 	p->stack = p->internal;
 	p->dfd = dfd;
 	p->name = name;
+	p->path.mnt = NULL;
+	p->path.dentry = NULL;
 	p->total_link_count = old ? old->total_link_count : 0;
 	p->saved = old;
 	current->nameidata = p;
@@ -602,6 +604,8 @@ static void terminate_walk(struct nameidata *nd)
 		rcu_read_unlock();
 	}
 	nd->depth = 0;
+	nd->path.mnt = NULL;
+	nd->path.dentry = NULL;
 }
 
 /* path_put is needed afterwards regardless of success or failure */
@@ -2243,8 +2247,6 @@ static const char *path_init(struct nameidata *nd, unsigned flags)
 	}
 
 	nd->root.mnt = NULL;
-	nd->path.mnt = NULL;
-	nd->path.dentry = NULL;
 
 	/* Absolute pathname -- fetch the root (LOOKUP_IN_ROOT uses nd->dfd). */
 	if (*s == '/' && !(flags & LOOKUP_IN_ROOT)) {