diff --git a/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c b/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
index 4dbe1e2daeca..5e1054f028af 100644
--- a/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
+++ b/fs/proc/proc_sysctl.c
@@ -654,7 +654,10 @@ static bool proc_sys_link_fill_cache(struct file *file,
 				    struct ctl_table *table)
 {
 	bool ret = true;
+
 	head = sysctl_head_grab(head);
+	if (IS_ERR(head))
+		return false;
 
 	if (S_ISLNK(table->mode)) {
 		/* It is not an error if we can not follow the link ignore it */