diff --git a/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdport.c b/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdport.c
index 009ea000ae8a..93c7af506795 100644
--- a/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdport.c
+++ b/sys/fs/nfsserver/nfs_nfsdport.c
@@ -505,11 +505,10 @@ nfsvno_namei(struct nfsrv_descript *nd, struct nameidata *ndp,
 
 out:
 	if (error) {
-		uma_zfree(namei_zone, cnp->cn_pnbuf);
+		nfsvno_relpathbuf(ndp);
 		ndp->ni_vp = NULL;
 		ndp->ni_dvp = NULL;
 		ndp->ni_startdir = NULL;
-		cnp->cn_flags &= ~HASBUF;
 	} else if ((ndp->ni_cnd.cn_flags & (WANTPARENT|LOCKPARENT)) == 0) {
 		ndp->ni_dvp = NULL;
 	}