diff --git a/fs/cifs/file.c b/fs/cifs/file.c
index c27d236738fc08ff80d32eceabc8f412140afbb2..5ae061c4ca2593ec9baafc917aaa20891f3f7c61 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/file.c
+++ b/fs/cifs/file.c
@@ -575,8 +575,10 @@ static int cifs_reopen_file(struct cifsFileInfo *pCifsFile, bool can_flush)
 
 int cifs_close(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 {
-	cifsFileInfo_put(file->private_data);
-	file->private_data = NULL;
+	if (file->private_data != NULL) {
+		cifsFileInfo_put(file->private_data);
+		file->private_data = NULL;
+	}
 
 	/* return code from the ->release op is always ignored */
 	return 0;