diff --git a/kernel/fork.c b/kernel/fork.c
index 195958a3a4d6ff0405ed8dcf019cecfddfb363fb..49adc0e8d47ccf3b51af4e5b32ffd4210aeaf955 100644
--- a/kernel/fork.c
+++ b/kernel/fork.c
@@ -625,6 +625,7 @@ out:
 /*
  * Allocate a new files structure and copy contents from the
  * passed in files structure.
+ * errorp will be valid only when the returned files_struct is NULL.
  */
 static struct files_struct *dup_fd(struct files_struct *oldf, int *errorp)
 {
@@ -633,6 +634,7 @@ static struct files_struct *dup_fd(struct files_struct *oldf, int *errorp)
 	int open_files, size, i, expand;
 	struct fdtable *old_fdt, *new_fdt;
 
+	*errorp = -ENOMEM;
 	newf = alloc_files();
 	if (!newf)
 		goto out;
@@ -746,7 +748,6 @@ static int copy_files(unsigned long clone_flags, struct task_struct * tsk)
 	 * break this.
 	 */
 	tsk->files = NULL;
-	error = -ENOMEM;
 	newf = dup_fd(oldf, &error);
 	if (!newf)
 		goto out;