diff --git a/fs/kernfs/dir.c b/fs/kernfs/dir.c
index 935ef8cb02b2..7b13b1c3424c 100644
--- a/fs/kernfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/kernfs/dir.c
@@ -149,9 +149,6 @@ static int kernfs_path_from_node_locked(struct kernfs_node *kn_to,
 	if (kn_from == kn_to)
 		return strlcpy(buf, "/", buflen);
 
-	if (!buf)
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	common = kernfs_common_ancestor(kn_from, kn_to);
 	if (WARN_ON(!common))
 		return -EINVAL;