diff --git a/fs/namespace.c b/fs/namespace.c
index 224aff1c0dfda0d964e8d5248b658c8c8c334af1..1e4a5fe3d7b7f789d66839f37b1f917c1fa3e2ba 100644
--- a/fs/namespace.c
+++ b/fs/namespace.c
@@ -1074,8 +1074,9 @@ void umount_tree(struct mount *mnt, int propagate, struct list_head *kill)
 		list_del_init(&p->mnt_expire);
 		list_del_init(&p->mnt_list);
 		__touch_mnt_namespace(p->mnt_ns);
+		if (p->mnt_ns)
+			__mnt_make_shortterm(p);
 		p->mnt_ns = NULL;
-		__mnt_make_shortterm(p);
 		list_del_init(&p->mnt_child);
 		if (mnt_has_parent(p)) {
 			p->mnt_parent->mnt_ghosts++;