diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index c7fac83c9a85..eac0ec35be37 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -2037,11 +2037,11 @@ static noinline const char *pick_link(struct nameidata *nd, struct path *link,
 			unlikely(link->mnt->mnt_flags & MNT_NOSYMFOLLOW))
 		return ERR_PTR(-ELOOP);
 
+	if (nd->flags & LOOKUP_RCU) {
+		if (!try_to_unlazy(nd))
+			return ERR_PTR(-ECHILD);
+	}
 	if (unlikely(atime_needs_update(&last->link, inode))) {
-		if (nd->flags & LOOKUP_RCU) {
-			if (!try_to_unlazy(nd))
-				return ERR_PTR(-ECHILD);
-		}
 		touch_atime(&last->link);
 		cond_resched();
 	}