diff --git a/fs/notify/fanotify/fanotify_user.c b/fs/notify/fanotify/fanotify_user.c
index 01fffe62a2d4..ca54957b1f61 100644
--- a/fs/notify/fanotify/fanotify_user.c
+++ b/fs/notify/fanotify/fanotify_user.c
@@ -692,8 +692,10 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE2(fanotify_init, unsigned int, flags, unsigned int, event_f_flags)
 
 	/* fsnotify_alloc_group takes a ref.  Dropped in fanotify_release */
 	group = fsnotify_alloc_group(&fanotify_fsnotify_ops);
-	if (IS_ERR(group))
+	if (IS_ERR(group)) {
+		free_uid(user);
 		return PTR_ERR(group);
+	}
 
 	group->fanotify_data.user = user;
 	atomic_inc(&user->fanotify_listeners);