diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c b/fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c
index 20355dc3f1d1..e17488a911f7 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c
@@ -2008,10 +2008,11 @@ static __be32 nfsd4_decode_secinfo_no_name(struct nfsd4_compoundargs *argp,
 					   union nfsd4_op_u *u)
 {
 	struct nfsd4_secinfo_no_name *sin = &u->secinfo_no_name;
+
+	sin->sin_exp = NULL;
 	if (xdr_stream_decode_u32(argp->xdr, &sin->sin_style) < 0)
 		return nfserr_bad_xdr;
 
-	sin->sin_exp = NULL;
 	return nfs_ok;
 }