diff --git a/fs/namespace.c b/fs/namespace.c
index 51f77c65c0c6..1d518fc5509a 100644
--- a/fs/namespace.c
+++ b/fs/namespace.c
@@ -5711,7 +5711,6 @@ static int grab_requested_root(struct mnt_namespace *ns, struct path *root)
 static int do_statmount(struct kstatmount *s, u64 mnt_id, u64 mnt_ns_id,
 			struct mnt_namespace *ns)
 {
-	struct path root __free(path_put) = {};
 	struct mount *m;
 	int err;
 
@@ -5723,7 +5722,7 @@ static int do_statmount(struct kstatmount *s, u64 mnt_id, u64 mnt_ns_id,
 	if (!s->mnt)
 		return -ENOENT;
 
-	err = grab_requested_root(ns, &root);
+	err = grab_requested_root(ns, &s->root);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
@@ -5732,7 +5731,7 @@ static int do_statmount(struct kstatmount *s, u64 mnt_id, u64 mnt_ns_id,
 	 * mounts to show users.
 	 */
 	m = real_mount(s->mnt);
-	if (!is_path_reachable(m, m->mnt.mnt_root, &root) &&
+	if (!is_path_reachable(m, m->mnt.mnt_root, &s->root) &&
 	    !ns_capable_noaudit(ns->user_ns, CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
 		return -EPERM;
 
@@ -5740,8 +5739,6 @@ static int do_statmount(struct kstatmount *s, u64 mnt_id, u64 mnt_ns_id,
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	s->root = root;
-
 	/*
 	 * Note that mount properties in mnt->mnt_flags, mnt->mnt_idmap
 	 * can change concurrently as we only hold the read-side of the
@@ -5963,6 +5960,7 @@ retry:
 	if (!ret)
 		ret = copy_statmount_to_user(ks);
 	kvfree(ks->seq.buf);
+	path_put(&ks->root);
 	if (retry_statmount(ret, &seq_size))
 		goto retry;
 	return ret;