diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index e99e2a9da0f7..3f02cae7e73f 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -2113,8 +2113,10 @@ static int link_path_walk(const char *name, struct nameidata *nd)
 		return PTR_ERR(name);
 	while (*name=='/')
 		name++;
-	if (!*name)
+	if (!*name) {
+		nd->dir_mode = 0; // short-circuit the 'hardening' idiocy
 		return 0;
+	}
 
 	/* At this point we know we have a real path component. */
 	for(;;) {