diff --git a/fs/namei.c b/fs/namei.c
index 180037b96956..4017bc8641d3 100644
--- a/fs/namei.c
+++ b/fs/namei.c
@@ -2781,7 +2781,20 @@ static struct dentry *__kern_path_locked(int dfd, struct filename *name, struct
 	return d;
 }
 
-struct dentry *kern_path_locked_negative(const char *name, struct path *path)
+/**
+ * kern_path_parent: lookup path returning parent and target
+ * @name: path name
+ * @path: path to store parent in
+ *
+ * The path @name should end with a normal component, not "." or ".." or "/".
+ * A lookup is performed and if successful the parent information
+ * is store in @parent and the dentry is returned.
+ *
+ * The dentry maybe negative, the parent will be positive.
+ *
+ * Returns:  dentry or error.
+ */
+struct dentry *kern_path_parent(const char *name, struct path *path)
 {
 	struct path parent_path __free(path_put) = {};
 	struct filename *filename __free(putname) = getname_kernel(name);
@@ -2794,12 +2807,10 @@ struct dentry *kern_path_locked_negative(const char *name, struct path *path)
 		return ERR_PTR(error);
 	if (unlikely(type != LAST_NORM))
 		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
-	inode_lock_nested(parent_path.dentry->d_inode, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
-	d = lookup_one_qstr_excl(&last, parent_path.dentry, LOOKUP_CREATE);
-	if (IS_ERR(d)) {
-		inode_unlock(parent_path.dentry->d_inode);
+
+	d = lookup_noperm_unlocked(&last, parent_path.dentry);
+	if (IS_ERR(d))
 		return d;
-	}
 	path->dentry = no_free_ptr(parent_path.dentry);
 	path->mnt = no_free_ptr(parent_path.mnt);
 	return d;
diff --git a/include/linux/namei.h b/include/linux/namei.h
index 551a1a01e5e7..1d5038c21c20 100644
--- a/include/linux/namei.h
+++ b/include/linux/namei.h
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ struct dentry *lookup_one_qstr_excl(const struct qstr *name,
 				    struct dentry *base,
 				    unsigned int flags);
 extern int kern_path(const char *, unsigned, struct path *);
+struct dentry *kern_path_parent(const char *name, struct path *parent);
 
 extern struct dentry *kern_path_create(int, const char *, struct path *, unsigned int);
 extern struct dentry *user_path_create(int, const char __user *, struct path *, unsigned int);
 extern void done_path_create(struct path *, struct dentry *);
 extern struct dentry *kern_path_locked(const char *, struct path *);
-extern struct dentry *kern_path_locked_negative(const char *, struct path *);
 extern struct dentry *user_path_locked_at(int , const char __user *, struct path *);
 int vfs_path_parent_lookup(struct filename *filename, unsigned int flags,
 			   struct path *parent, struct qstr *last, int *type,
diff --git a/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c b/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
index c565fbf66ac8..b92805b317a2 100644
--- a/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
+++ b/kernel/audit_fsnotify.c
@@ -76,17 +76,18 @@ struct audit_fsnotify_mark *audit_alloc_mark(struct audit_krule *krule, char *pa
 	struct audit_fsnotify_mark *audit_mark;
 	struct path path;
 	struct dentry *dentry;
-	struct inode *inode;
 	int ret;
 
 	if (pathname[0] != '/' || pathname[len-1] == '/')
 		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 
-	dentry = kern_path_locked(pathname, &path);
+	dentry = kern_path_parent(pathname, &path);
 	if (IS_ERR(dentry))
 		return ERR_CAST(dentry); /* returning an error */
-	inode = path.dentry->d_inode;
-	inode_unlock(inode);
+	if (d_really_is_negative(dentry)) {
+		audit_mark = ERR_PTR(-ENOENT);
+		goto out;
+	}
 
 	audit_mark = kzalloc(sizeof(*audit_mark), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (unlikely(!audit_mark)) {
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ struct audit_fsnotify_mark *audit_alloc_mark(struct audit_krule *krule, char *pa
 	audit_update_mark(audit_mark, dentry->d_inode);
 	audit_mark->rule = krule;
 
-	ret = fsnotify_add_inode_mark(&audit_mark->mark, inode, 0);
+	ret = fsnotify_add_inode_mark(&audit_mark->mark, path.dentry->d_inode, 0);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		audit_mark->path = NULL;
 		fsnotify_put_mark(&audit_mark->mark);
diff --git a/kernel/audit_watch.c b/kernel/audit_watch.c
index 0ebbbe37a60f..a700e3c8925f 100644
--- a/kernel/audit_watch.c
+++ b/kernel/audit_watch.c
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ static int audit_get_nd(struct audit_watch *watch, struct path *parent)
 {
 	struct dentry *d;
 
-	d = kern_path_locked_negative(watch->path, parent);
+	d = kern_path_parent(watch->path, parent);
 	if (IS_ERR(d))
 		return PTR_ERR(d);
 
@@ -359,7 +359,6 @@ static int audit_get_nd(struct audit_watch *watch, struct path *parent)
 		watch->ino = d_backing_inode(d)->i_ino;
 	}
 
-	inode_unlock(d_backing_inode(parent->dentry));
 	dput(d);
 	return 0;
 }