diff --git a/kernel/sched/ext.c b/kernel/sched/ext.c
index 8e06694094d7..1efd5d82b08b 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/ext.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/ext.c
@@ -6670,6 +6670,7 @@ static struct scx_sched *scx_alloc_and_add_sched(struct sched_ext_ops *ops,
 		ret = kobject_init_and_add(&sch->kobj, &scx_ktype, NULL, "root");
 
 	if (ret < 0) {
+		RCU_INIT_POINTER(ops->priv, NULL);
 		kobject_put(&sch->kobj);
 		return ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}
@@ -6677,6 +6678,7 @@ static struct scx_sched *scx_alloc_and_add_sched(struct sched_ext_ops *ops,
 	if (ops->sub_attach) {
 		sch->sub_kset = kset_create_and_add("sub", NULL, &sch->kobj);
 		if (!sch->sub_kset) {
+			RCU_INIT_POINTER(ops->priv, NULL);
 			kobject_put(&sch->kobj);
 			return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 		}
@@ -6684,6 +6686,7 @@ static struct scx_sched *scx_alloc_and_add_sched(struct sched_ext_ops *ops,
 #else	/* CONFIG_EXT_SUB_SCHED */
 	ret = kobject_init_and_add(&sch->kobj, &scx_ktype, NULL, "root");
 	if (ret < 0) {
+		RCU_INIT_POINTER(ops->priv, NULL);
 		kobject_put(&sch->kobj);
 		return ERR_PTR(ret);
 	}
@@ -6692,6 +6695,7 @@ static struct scx_sched *scx_alloc_and_add_sched(struct sched_ext_ops *ops,
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_EXT_SUB_SCHED
 err_free_lb_resched:
+	RCU_INIT_POINTER(ops->priv, NULL);
 	free_cpumask_var(sch->bypass_lb_resched_cpumask);
 #endif
 err_free_lb_cpumask: