diff --git a/mm/memfd.c b/mm/memfd.c
index 69b90c31d38cedb03d7e387ae2b7eb976128df8e..e763e76f11064586faad35bb3d2831c6ddda23cf 100644
--- a/mm/memfd.c
+++ b/mm/memfd.c
@@ -371,12 +371,15 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE2(memfd_create,
 
 		inode->i_mode &= ~0111;
 		file_seals = memfd_file_seals_ptr(file);
-		*file_seals &= ~F_SEAL_SEAL;
-		*file_seals |= F_SEAL_EXEC;
+		if (file_seals) {
+			*file_seals &= ~F_SEAL_SEAL;
+			*file_seals |= F_SEAL_EXEC;
+		}
 	} else if (flags & MFD_ALLOW_SEALING) {
 		/* MFD_EXEC and MFD_ALLOW_SEALING are set */
 		file_seals = memfd_file_seals_ptr(file);
-		*file_seals &= ~F_SEAL_SEAL;
+		if (file_seals)
+			*file_seals &= ~F_SEAL_SEAL;
 	}
 
 	fd_install(fd, file);