diff --git a/fs/pstore/platform.c b/fs/pstore/platform.c
index ce03c3dbb5c3..d59f13b1fb96 100644
--- a/fs/pstore/platform.c
+++ b/fs/pstore/platform.c
@@ -558,6 +558,8 @@ out:
  */
 int pstore_register(struct pstore_info *psi)
 {
+	char *new_backend;
+
 	if (backend && strcmp(backend, psi->name)) {
 		pr_warn("ignoring unexpected backend '%s'\n", psi->name);
 		return -EPERM;
@@ -577,11 +579,16 @@ int pstore_register(struct pstore_info *psi)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	new_backend = kstrdup(psi->name, GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!new_backend)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	mutex_lock(&psinfo_lock);
 	if (psinfo) {
 		pr_warn("backend '%s' already loaded: ignoring '%s'\n",
 			psinfo->name, psi->name);
 		mutex_unlock(&psinfo_lock);
+		kfree(new_backend);
 		return -EBUSY;
 	}
 
@@ -614,7 +621,7 @@ int pstore_register(struct pstore_info *psi)
 	 * Update the module parameter backend, so it is visible
 	 * through /sys/module/pstore/parameters/backend
 	 */
-	backend = kstrdup(psi->name, GFP_KERNEL);
+	backend = new_backend;
 
 	pr_info("Registered %s as persistent store backend\n", psi->name);