diff --git a/fs/ecryptfs/file.c b/fs/ecryptfs/file.c
index db0fad3..4ffa35e 100644
--- a/fs/ecryptfs/file.c
+++ b/fs/ecryptfs/file.c
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@
 	struct file *lower_file = ecryptfs_file_to_lower(file);
 	long rc = -ENOIOCTLCMD;
 
-	if (lower_file->f_op && lower_file->f_op->compat_ioctl)
+	if (lower_file->f_op->compat_ioctl)
 		rc = lower_file->f_op->compat_ioctl(lower_file, cmd, arg);
 	return rc;
 }