diff --git a/fs/sysfs/group.c b/fs/sysfs/group.c
index 182e54e575ee..4e1e4f18a166 100644
--- a/fs/sysfs/group.c
+++ b/fs/sysfs/group.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ static int internal_create_group(struct kobject *kobj, int update,
 	kernfs_get(kn);
 	error = create_files(kn, kobj, uid, gid, grp, update);
 	if (error) {
-		if (grp->name)
+		if (grp->name && !update)
 			kernfs_remove(kn);
 	}
 	kernfs_put(kn);