diff --git a/net/socket.c b/net/socket.c
index 29a4bad1b1d8..577079a8935f 100644
--- a/net/socket.c
+++ b/net/socket.c
@@ -449,7 +449,9 @@ static struct file_system_type sock_fs_type = {
  *
  *	Returns the &file bound with @sock, implicitly storing it
  *	in sock->file. If dname is %NULL, sets to "".
- *	On failure the return is a ERR pointer (see linux/err.h).
+ *
+ *	On failure @sock is released, and an ERR pointer is returned.
+ *
  *	This function uses GFP_KERNEL internally.
  */
 
@@ -1613,7 +1615,6 @@ static struct socket *__sys_socket_create(int family, int type, int protocol)
 struct file *__sys_socket_file(int family, int type, int protocol)
 {
 	struct socket *sock;
-	struct file *file;
 	int flags;
 
 	sock = __sys_socket_create(family, type, protocol);
@@ -1624,11 +1625,7 @@ struct file *__sys_socket_file(int family, int type, int protocol)
 	if (SOCK_NONBLOCK != O_NONBLOCK && (flags & SOCK_NONBLOCK))
 		flags = (flags & ~SOCK_NONBLOCK) | O_NONBLOCK;
 
-	file = sock_alloc_file(sock, flags, NULL);
-	if (IS_ERR(file))
-		sock_release(sock);
-
-	return file;
+	return sock_alloc_file(sock, flags, NULL);
 }
 
 int __sys_socket(int family, int type, int protocol)