diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_lookup.c b/sys/kern/vfs_lookup.c
index 51985622079d..6f10b49c4181 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_lookup.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_lookup.c
@@ -162,11 +162,16 @@ namei(struct nameidata *ndp)
 		error = copyinstr(ndp->ni_dirp, cnp->cn_pnbuf,
 			    MAXPATHLEN, (size_t *)&ndp->ni_pathlen);
 
-	/* If we are auditing the kernel pathname, save the user pathname. */
-	if (cnp->cn_flags & AUDITVNODE1)
-		AUDIT_ARG_UPATH1(td, cnp->cn_pnbuf);
-	if (cnp->cn_flags & AUDITVNODE2)
-		AUDIT_ARG_UPATH2(td, cnp->cn_pnbuf);
+	if (error == 0) {
+		/*
+		 * If we are auditing the kernel pathname, save the user
+		 * pathname.
+		 */
+		if (cnp->cn_flags & AUDITVNODE1)
+			AUDIT_ARG_UPATH1(td, cnp->cn_pnbuf);
+		if (cnp->cn_flags & AUDITVNODE2)
+			AUDIT_ARG_UPATH2(td, cnp->cn_pnbuf);
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Don't allow empty pathnames.