diff --git a/fs/cifs/sess.c b/fs/cifs/sess.c
index bb208076cb71..aeec5a896ea6 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/sess.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/sess.c
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ sess_alloc_buffer(struct sess_data *sess_data, int wct)
 	return 0;
 
 out_free_smb_buf:
-	kfree(smb_buf);
+	cifs_small_buf_release(smb_buf);
 	sess_data->iov[0].iov_base = NULL;
 	sess_data->iov[0].iov_len = 0;
 	sess_data->buf0_type = CIFS_NO_BUFFER;