diff --git a/fs/ceph/mds_client.c b/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
index ca9b96ae0646..cf92b75745e2 100644
--- a/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
+++ b/fs/ceph/mds_client.c
@@ -5736,6 +5736,7 @@ int ceph_mds_check_access(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc, char *tpath, int mask)
 
 		err = ceph_mds_auth_match(mdsc, s, cred, tpath);
 		if (err < 0) {
+			put_cred(cred);
 			return err;
 		} else if (err > 0) {
 			/* always follow the last auth caps' permision */
@@ -5751,6 +5752,8 @@ int ceph_mds_check_access(struct ceph_mds_client *mdsc, char *tpath, int mask)
 		}
 	}
 
+	put_cred(cred);
+
 	doutc(cl, "root_squash_perms %d, rw_perms_s %p\n", root_squash_perms,
 	      rw_perms_s);
 	if (root_squash_perms && rw_perms_s == NULL) {