diff --git a/fs/cifs/smb2ops.c b/fs/cifs/smb2ops.c
index b4ae932ea134..38ebf3f357d2 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/smb2ops.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/smb2ops.c
@@ -1452,7 +1452,7 @@ smb2_query_symlink(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_tcon *tcon,
 	struct cifs_open_parms oparms;
 	struct cifs_fid fid;
 	struct kvec err_iov = {NULL, 0};
-	struct smb2_err_rsp *err_buf = NULL;
+	struct smb2_err_rsp *err_buf;
 	struct smb2_symlink_err_rsp *symlink;
 	unsigned int sub_len;
 	unsigned int sub_offset;
@@ -1476,7 +1476,7 @@ smb2_query_symlink(const unsigned int xid, struct cifs_tcon *tcon,
 
 	rc = SMB2_open(xid, &oparms, utf16_path, &oplock, NULL, &err_iov);
 
-	if (!rc || !err_buf) {
+	if (!rc || !err_iov.iov_base) {
 		kfree(utf16_path);
 		return -ENOENT;
 	}