diff --git a/security/keys/keyctl.c b/security/keys/keyctl.c
index 066baa1926bb..7576f49eeb34 100644
--- a/security/keys/keyctl.c
+++ b/security/keys/keyctl.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(add_key, const char __user *, _type,
 	payload = NULL;
 
 	vm = false;
-	if (_payload) {
+	if (plen) {
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		payload = kmalloc(plen, GFP_KERNEL | __GFP_NOWARN);
 		if (!payload) {
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ long keyctl_update_key(key_serial_t id,
 
 	/* pull the payload in if one was supplied */
 	payload = NULL;
-	if (_payload) {
+	if (plen) {
 		ret = -ENOMEM;
 		payload = kmalloc(plen, GFP_KERNEL);
 		if (!payload)