diff --git a/fs/configfs/file.c b/fs/configfs/file.c
index 7285440bc62e..896e90dc9193 100644
--- a/fs/configfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/configfs/file.c
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ static int __configfs_open_file(struct inode *inode, struct file *file, int type
 
 	attr = to_attr(dentry);
 	if (!attr)
-		goto out_put_item;
+		goto out_free_buffer;
 
 	if (type & CONFIGFS_ITEM_BIN_ATTR) {
 		buffer->bin_attr = to_bin_attr(dentry);
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ static int __configfs_open_file(struct inode *inode, struct file *file, int type
 	/* Grab the module reference for this attribute if we have one */
 	error = -ENODEV;
 	if (!try_module_get(buffer->owner))
-		goto out_put_item;
+		goto out_free_buffer;
 
 	error = -EACCES;
 	if (!buffer->item->ci_type)
@@ -449,8 +449,6 @@ static int __configfs_open_file(struct inode *inode, struct file *file, int type
 
 out_put_module:
 	module_put(buffer->owner);
-out_put_item:
-	config_item_put(buffer->item);
 out_free_buffer:
 	up_read(&frag->frag_sem);
 	kfree(buffer);