--- x/fs/overlayfs/super.c
+++ y/fs/overlayfs/super.c
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ static int ovl_make_workdir(struct super
 	tmpfile = ovl_do_tmpfile(ofs, ofs->workdir, S_IFREG | 0);
 	ofs->tmpfile = !IS_ERR(tmpfile);
 	if (ofs->tmpfile)
-		fput(tmpfile);
+		;
 	else
 		pr_warn("upper fs does not support tmpfile.\n");
 
@@ -790,6 +790,8 @@ static int ovl_make_workdir(struct super
 	}
 out:
 	mnt_drop_write(mnt);
+	if (ofs->tmpfile)
+		fput(tmpfile);
 	return err;
 }