diff --git a/kernel/ucount.c b/kernel/ucount.c
index f950b5e59d63..86c5f1c0bad9 100644
--- a/kernel/ucount.c
+++ b/kernel/ucount.c
@@ -164,8 +164,8 @@ struct ucounts *get_ucounts(struct ucounts *ucounts)
 struct ucounts *alloc_ucounts(struct user_namespace *ns, kuid_t uid)
 {
 	struct hlist_head *hashent = ucounts_hashentry(ns, uid);
-	struct ucounts *ucounts, *new;
 	bool wrapped;
+	struct ucounts *ucounts, *new = NULL;
 
 	spin_lock_irq(&ucounts_lock);
 	ucounts = find_ucounts(ns, uid, hashent);
@@ -182,17 +182,17 @@ struct ucounts *alloc_ucounts(struct user_namespace *ns, kuid_t uid)
 
 		spin_lock_irq(&ucounts_lock);
 		ucounts = find_ucounts(ns, uid, hashent);
-		if (ucounts) {
-			kfree(new);
-		} else {
+		if (!ucounts) {
 			hlist_add_head(&new->node, hashent);
 			get_user_ns(new->ns);
 			spin_unlock_irq(&ucounts_lock);
 			return new;
 		}
 	}
+
 	wrapped = !get_ucounts_or_wrap(ucounts);
 	spin_unlock_irq(&ucounts_lock);
+	kfree(new);
 	if (wrapped) {
 		put_ucounts(ucounts);
 		return NULL;