diff --git a/fs/read_write.c b/fs/read_write.c
index bcb0ef2aae3d..1f8dc373ede7 100644
--- a/fs/read_write.c
+++ b/fs/read_write.c
@@ -197,13 +197,13 @@ int rw_verify_area(int read_write, struct file *file, loff_t *ppos, size_t count
 	struct inode *inode;
 	loff_t pos;
 
+	inode = file->f_path.dentry->d_inode;
 	if (unlikely((ssize_t) count < 0))
 		goto Einval;
 	pos = *ppos;
 	if (unlikely((pos < 0) || (loff_t) (pos + count) < 0))
 		goto Einval;
 
-	inode = file->f_path.dentry->d_inode;
 	if (unlikely(inode->i_flock && MANDATORY_LOCK(inode))) {
 		int retval = locks_mandatory_area(
 			read_write == READ ? FLOCK_VERIFY_READ : FLOCK_VERIFY_WRITE,