--- a/fs/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/xattr.c
@@ -383,7 +383,10 @@ vfs_getxattr_alloc(struct user_namespace
 	}
 
 	error = handler->get(handler, dentry, inode, name, value, error);
-	*xattr_value = value;
+	if (error < 0 && value != *xattr_value)
+		kfree(value);
+	else
+		*xattr_value = value;
 	return error;
 }