diff --git a/fs/fat/inode.c b/fs/fat/inode.c
index cd279da12734..644d7581d371 100644
--- a/fs/fat/inode.c
+++ b/fs/fat/inode.c
@@ -548,13 +548,21 @@ static void fat_set_state(struct super_block *sb,
 	brelse(bh);
 }
 
+static void fat_reset_iocharset(struct fat_mount_options *opts)
+{
+	if (opts->iocharset != fat_default_iocharset) {
+		/* Note: opts->iocharset can be NULL here */
+		kfree(opts->iocharset);
+		opts->iocharset = fat_default_iocharset;
+	}
+}
+
 static void delayed_free(struct rcu_head *p)
 {
 	struct msdos_sb_info *sbi = container_of(p, struct msdos_sb_info, rcu);
 	unload_nls(sbi->nls_disk);
 	unload_nls(sbi->nls_io);
-	if (sbi->options.iocharset != fat_default_iocharset)
-		kfree(sbi->options.iocharset);
+	fat_reset_iocharset(&sbi->options);
 	kfree(sbi);
 }
 
@@ -972,7 +980,7 @@ static int parse_options(struct super_block *sb, char *options, int is_vfat,
 	opts->fs_fmask = opts->fs_dmask = current_umask();
 	opts->allow_utime = -1;
 	opts->codepage = fat_default_codepage;
-	opts->iocharset = fat_default_iocharset;
+	fat_reset_iocharset(opts);
 	if (is_vfat) {
 		opts->shortname = VFAT_SFN_DISPLAY_WINNT|VFAT_SFN_CREATE_WIN95;
 		opts->rodir = 0;
@@ -1119,8 +1127,7 @@ static int parse_options(struct super_block *sb, char *options, int is_vfat,
 
 		/* vfat specific */
 		case Opt_charset:
-			if (opts->iocharset != fat_default_iocharset)
-				kfree(opts->iocharset);
+			fat_reset_iocharset(opts);
 			iocharset = match_strdup(&args[0]);
 			if (!iocharset)
 				return -ENOMEM;
@@ -1595,8 +1602,7 @@ out_fail:
 		iput(fat_inode);
 	unload_nls(sbi->nls_io);
 	unload_nls(sbi->nls_disk);
-	if (sbi->options.iocharset != fat_default_iocharset)
-		kfree(sbi->options.iocharset);
+	fat_reset_iocharset(&sbi->options);
 	sb->s_fs_info = NULL;
 	kfree(sbi);
 	return error;