diff --git a/fs/sysfs/dir.c b/fs/sysfs/dir.c
index 0050fc4..5fad489 100644
--- a/fs/sysfs/dir.c
+++ b/fs/sysfs/dir.c
@@ -894,7 +894,8 @@
 
 	mutex_lock(&sysfs_rename_mutex);
 	BUG_ON(!sd->s_parent);
-	new_parent_sd = new_parent_kobj->sd ? new_parent_kobj->sd : &sysfs_root;
+	new_parent_sd = (new_parent_kobj && new_parent_kobj->sd) ?
+		new_parent_kobj->sd : &sysfs_root;
 
 	error = 0;
 	if (sd->s_parent == new_parent_sd)