diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
index 419d2f3cf2c2..3d8297714772 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_inode.c
@@ -1251,15 +1251,15 @@ static const char *v9fs_vfs_get_link(struct dentry *dentry,
 		return ERR_PTR(-ECHILD);
 
 	v9ses = v9fs_dentry2v9ses(dentry);
-	fid = v9fs_fid_lookup(dentry);
+	if (!v9fs_proto_dotu(v9ses))
+		return ERR_PTR(-EBADF);
+
 	p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_VFS, "%pd\n", dentry);
+	fid = v9fs_fid_lookup(dentry);
 
 	if (IS_ERR(fid))
 		return ERR_CAST(fid);
 
-	if (!v9fs_proto_dotu(v9ses))
-		return ERR_PTR(-EBADF);
-
 	st = p9_client_stat(fid);
 	p9_client_clunk(fid);
 	if (IS_ERR(st))