diff --git a/fs/incfs/vfs.c b/fs/incfs/vfs.c
index 65b7f325bf9c..7b1cd539aeed 100644
--- a/fs/incfs/vfs.c
+++ b/fs/incfs/vfs.c
@@ -2005,8 +2005,10 @@ static int dentry_revalidate(struct dentry *d, unsigned int flags)
 
 	get_incfs_backing_path(d, &backing_path);
 	backing_dentry = backing_path.dentry;
-	if (!backing_dentry)
+	if (!backing_dentry) {
+		result = -EBADF;
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	if (d_inode(backing_dentry) != binode) {
 		/*