diff --git a/scripts/mod/modpost.c b/scripts/mod/modpost.c
index 2773f9f9bae2..76c221dd9b2b 100644
--- a/scripts/mod/modpost.c
+++ b/scripts/mod/modpost.c
@@ -797,9 +797,9 @@ static int match(const char *sym, const char * const pat[])
 
 		/* "*foo*" */
 		if (*p == '*' && *endp == '*') {
-			char *here, *bare = strndup(p + 1, strlen(p) - 2);
+			char *bare = NOFAIL(strndup(p + 1, strlen(p) - 2));
+			char *here = strstr(sym, bare);
 
-			here = strstr(sym, bare);
 			free(bare);
 			if (here != NULL)
 				return 1;