diff --git a/fs/kernfs/dir.c b/fs/kernfs/dir.c
index 61a8edc4ba8b5..e205fde7163ab 100644
--- a/fs/kernfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/kernfs/dir.c
@@ -1406,7 +1406,12 @@ static void __kernfs_remove(struct kernfs_node *kn)
  */
 void kernfs_remove(struct kernfs_node *kn)
 {
-	struct kernfs_root *root = kernfs_root(kn);
+	struct kernfs_root *root;
+
+	if (!kn)
+		return;
+
+	root = kernfs_root(kn);
 
 	down_write(&root->kernfs_rwsem);
 	__kernfs_remove(kn);