diff --git a/namei.c b/namei.c
index 2c35bf5ecc9b..4aa27fd98b3d 100644
--- a/namei.c
+++ b/namei.c
@@ -734,6 +734,7 @@ static int exfat_find(struct inode *dir, struct qstr *qname,
 			exfat_fs_error(sb,
 				"non-zero size file starts with zero cluster (size : %llu, p_dir : %u, entry : 0x%08x)",
 				i_size_read(dir), ei->dir.dir, ei->entry);
+			kfree(es);
 			return -EIO;
 		}