diff --git a/kernel/kmod.c b/kernel/kmod.c
index 05698a7415fe..f2490e1dd51f 100644
--- a/kernel/kmod.c
+++ b/kernel/kmod.c
@@ -541,6 +541,11 @@ int call_usermodehelper_exec(struct subprocess_info *sub_info, int wait)
 	int retval = 0;
 
 	helper_lock();
+	if (!sub_info->path) {
+		retval = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (sub_info->path[0] == '\0')
 		goto out;