diff --git a/fs/fuse/backing.c b/fs/fuse/backing.c
index f4f529ff8580..3b2b2a470ba4 100644
--- a/fs/fuse/backing.c
+++ b/fs/fuse/backing.c
@@ -353,7 +353,9 @@ int fuse_release_initialize(struct fuse_bpf_args *fa, struct fuse_release_in *fr
 			    struct inode *inode, struct fuse_file *ff)
 {
 	/* Always put backing file whatever bpf/userspace says */
-	fput(ff->backing_file);
+	if (ff->backing_file) {
+	    fput(ff->backing_file);
+	}
 
 	*fri = (struct fuse_release_in) {
 		.fh = ff->fh,